Makeba, Queen of Sheba, was an icon of the Woman of Spirit! The legendary Queen of Sheba or Saba, located in present day Yemen or Ethiopia, she journeyed to Jerusalem to meet the most powerful Middle Eastern monarch of that period: King Solomon. The Bible tells us that she went to sit at the feet of Solomon to observe and learn from his fabled wisdom. History teaches us that Makeba had other things in mind as well: political and trade alliances that would strengthen her country, and bring peace and prosperity to her people. Fearlessly, she journeyed long miles to the kingdom of Solomon, bringing with her rich gifts from Sheba. A dark, Ethiopian beauty, it is said that she captured the heart of Solomon. He wrote one of the most famous love poems in the English language for her: The Song of Songs. The story continues that Solomon begged Makeba to marry him, and to remain with him always. Instead, Makeba returned to Sheba, where she gave birth to a son, said to be fathered by King Solomon. He became king after her---a departure from the tradition of Sheba, which was always ruled by queens. Why did Makeba go home to Sheba? We can only speculate. My guess is that she returned to continue her care for her people. Also, in Israel, a patriarchal society, she would only have been one among many of Solomon's queens and concubines. In Sheba, she WAS the queen. Makeba was a woman of power and substance, who knew where her best and highest interests lay. She was a true goddess! |