Tamara L. Siuda joins Andrieh Vitimus and Jason M. Colwell to discuss her work in Khemetic Religion. Tamara is the founder and current head of Kemetic Orthodoxy and the House of Netjer. She is known formally within her faith as Her Holiness, Sekhenet-Ma’at-Ra Setep-en-Ra User Hekatawy I, Nisut-Bity of the Kemetic Orthodox faith and uses the honorific Reverend outside of the faith to indicate her position as clergy. She is also a Mambo in Haitian Vodou.
Siuda graduated from Mundelein College (now part of Loyola University) in Chicago in 1991. She subsequently enrolled in the Egyptology program at the University of Chicago, obtaining a master’s degree in Egyptology with a concentration in Philology in August 2000. She also earned a master’s in December 2007 through the Coptic Studies program at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.
Siuda founded the group which would become Kemetic Orthodoxy in 1988 after an experience during a Wiccan initiation ritual in which she is said to have been called by the ancient Egyptian deities to revive their worship. She left Wicca and began study and worship in ancient Egyptian religion with friends and students. In 1993, this group of people had grown substantially, and gained legal recognition as the House of Netjer Kemetic Orthodox Temple. In 1999, the House of Netjer, and the Kemetic Orthodox Faith, were granted 501(c)(3) status.
In October 1996, following what is believed to be divine approval via oracles and ritual, Siuda traveled to Egypt and underwent coronation rituals and assumed the religious title of Nisut, meaning “Authority” or “Incarnation”. In this capacity she is considered to be the mortal carrier of a divine spirit, by way of an aspect of the god Horus, known as the “kingly ka.” In this capacity, Siuda provides spiritual guidance and leadership for members of Kemetic Orthodoxy. Devotees of Kemetic Orthodoxy often refer to Siuda as Hemet, meaning “servant” or “majesty.”
Siuda represents the House of Netjer in the World Interfaith Congress.
