Laura Anderson
Witches. We’ve all heard of them! From the historical Salem Witch Trials to the fictional Macbeth, what do we truly know about our wiccan friends?
Since the “witch hysteria” began in the mid 1400s, witches have been prominent figures of the monsters and ghouls of the world. To this day, the witch is a popular character of today’s modern halloween. But are witches really what we think? Or are they just misunderstood?
In modern day, witches are actually known as wiccans - members of a pagan religion known as Wicca. Wiccans draw their inspiration from rituals and beliefs that pre-date the Christian religions of Europe. Today, Wicca has spread to western countries and is now typically represented by the symbol of the pentagram - a 5 pointed star.
So what misconceptions do we have about witches? Well, for starters not all witches are women! Witches can be people of any gender - wicca does not discriminate! This myth dates back to witch-hunting from the 1400s to 1700s, as most accused witches were women. However during the years of witch persecution, 6,000 men were executed for taking part in witchcraft making up 10-15% of the total “witches” killed.
Secondly, witches don’t worship a goddess or devil. During witch hysteria, midwives and herbalists were the victims of witchcraft accusation, as well as others who dabbled in natural remedies and healing. It was thought their healing practices came from something dark! To this day, wicca includes the practice of natural remedies. You’ll be surprised to learn that natural brews like herbal teas are a form of witchcraft!
In addition to this, most members of wicca refer to themselves as “practitioners.” This is to highlight that witchcraft is not a belief but an independent practice of the individual. In fact, many witches choose their own path when it comes to expressing the practice; from baking to gardening, no two witches are alike!
Nevertheless, there is a lot more to witches than what meets the eye. So in the halloween spirit perhaps we should learn more about our “weird sisters”!
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