What Is a Witch? Defining Witchcraft in the ‘Malleus Maleficarum’
The concept of a witch, that is a practitioner of magic, has been part of western folklore for centuries, yet throughout that time it has been subject to continuous reinterpretations.
Food & New Beginnings: How We Celebrate by Eating Circles
We humans, love to eat and we love to celebrate with food, from weddings to birthdays to a Sunday family lunch. Whilst our customs might be different, all around the world we celebrate new beginnings, whether that is a new year, a new marriage or a new baby. And while the food we serve to celebrate new beginnings may be slightly different in our own corner of the globe, there seems to be a universal theme in the type of food we eat. We celebrate the new with circular-shaped food.
I Have a Little Dreidel: The Customs and Traditions of Hanukkah
anukkah is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Jewish calendar. It’s known by some as the Festival of Light, and usually falls in December each year. Many people outside of the faith know about the traditions of lighting the menorah and giving gifts, but fewer understand the meaning behind these customs. The temple […]
Meet Mexico’s Trinity of Death – Day of the Dead, Santa Muerte, and Catrina Calavera
October the season of death is here and soon comes Halloween with its cavalcade of ghosts and goblins together with the Catholic holy days of All Saints and All Souls, known in Latin America as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Dark Side of the Sun: A Brief Guide to Midsummer Lore in Britain & Ireland
Each morning the sun rolls across the sky. In Estonia it was the hatched egg of the enchanted swallow bird, an emu’s egg bursting into flames in Australia, and a golden piece of bacon for the Nama people of South Africa. In the evening, it descends into the sea, as a bridegroom or warrior, golden rays transformed into spears or robes of light, hissing with heat as the waters close over it, before swimming back to the east. Sometimes in gloom-shrouded nights, we may imagine it will never return and we will be plunged into unyielding darkness, but still it rises and always will, at least for the next five billion years or so!