On Pagan Pride Day, Visibility for Witchcraft and the Occult
Pastor Dale Morgan
On Pagan Pride Day, Visibility for Witchcraft and the Occult*
By Erin Ailworth, Globe Staff | September 17, 2007
NORTH ANDOVER - It was Old World beliefs meeting modern-day lifestyles.
Pagans gathering by a pond inside Harold Parker State Forest in North
Andover socialized to the persistent pop of gunfire from a nearby
hunting club. Witches in jeans and Crocs were elbow-to-wand with
heathens and druids, vampires and those just beginning on their
spiritual quest.
The gathering yesterday was among many Pagan Pride Day celebrations
being held in autumn worldwide for the 10th consecutive year.
Carol Fairbank, organizer for the celebrations in Eastern Massachusetts,
said she expected at least 1,000 to enjoy the entertainment and more
than a dozen educational workshops inside Harold Parker State Forest.
"Some of them are very much shock and awe-type Salem stuff," Fairbank
said of the workshops. Topics included heathen devotional practices,
ritual belly dance, necromancy, and kitchen witchery.
"It's a day for us to network, get together, show our pride . . .
because, you know, a lot of people are in what we call 'the broom
closet,' " Fairbank said. "We're able at least once a year to stand
together in a circle and do what we call 'share energy.' . . . This is
really where a lot of people feel they can come out of the closet."
People learned, celebrated, and shopped for potions, staffs, wands, and
capes. Even in the middle of the forest, many were able to charge their
purchases to credit cards. Vendor Mike Dolan, of Haunted Wood Crafts,
said he's sure his Celtic ancestors would have used the modern
convenience if it were available. He repeatedly espoused the virtues of
his carved wooden wands to passersby. Pagans use wands, he said, "the
way a Catholic would use rosary beads."
"It's something to hold and concentrate on as we do magic . . . our
version of prayers, meditation," said Dolan, who follows a Celtic
spiritual path. "The best description I've heard of magic is 'prayers
with props.' "
Kyriel Ross, 10, said she might be interested in magic if it would let
her converse with her cat, Pickles.
"I think I would like to try one spell in my whole life - maybe a couple
more, if it works," Kyriel said.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.