Pagan Tama
Top stories in Paganism and Shinto this week:
- New Japanese era name draws attention to Shinto shrine
- Harry Potter books burned by Polish priests
- Aphrodite statue on display for the first time in Athens
Read more below…
Pagan News
Edain McCoy & Invented Traditions
Patheos Pagan: Jason Mankey
On March 21 author and teacher Edain McCoy passed away at 61 due to complications from the flu…
Former footballer reveals ‘pagan witch’ exorcised football stadium
The Telegraph
“They even brought in a pagan witch to try and exorcise some sort of curse over the ground.”…
April Festival Roundup
The Wild Hunt
In April, the Pagan, Druid, Heathen, and Wiccan festival season kicks into full swing with preparation for May celebrations…
Druidic ritual piques curiosity of Colney Heath villagers
The Herts Advertiser
Druids piqued the curiosity of passersby by performing a seasonal ritual in Colney Heath…
Paranormal investigators tie the knot in ancient Pagan handfasting ceremony
Daily Record
George and Karen Gamson decided on the traditional ceremony at Cambusnethan Priory…
2019 Sacred Space Conference
The Wild Hunt
The 2019 Sacred Space Conference opened at the Hunt Valley Inn on March 21, 2019…
Spellbinding Photos of Witches at Work in Romania
Broadly
Witchcraft is big business in the Eastern European country, and photographer Lucia Sekerková has documented its magical rise for seven years…
It was illegal until 1951 so how did Instagram make witchcraft and spells the nu-gen’s favourite wellness trend?
Glamour
Until 1951, in the United Kingdom, witchcraft was illegal. But very soon after that, modern witchcraft was born, and gained popularity incredibly quickly…
“A Coven A Grove A Stand”: Revisiting the history of UK witch hunts
The Wild Hunt
A new exhibition, ‘A Coven A Grove A Stand’, from London-based artist Susan Pui San Lok, is running now at the art gallery and cultural centre of Firstsite in Colchester, not far from the scene of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins’ depredations…
Shinto News
New Japanese era name draws attention to Shinto shrine
The Mainichi
The announcement gave some unexpected publicity to Sakamoto Hachimangu, a Shinto shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture where the line about a pleasant spring breeze and plum blossoms that the name Reiwa comes from is said to have been written by an unnamed individual…
Reiwa – a new era
Green Shinto
On Monday, April 1, Japan announced the name of its new era: Reiwa (令和)…
Twin timber buildings draw inspiration from traditional Japanese shrines
Inhabit
In deference to the existing street architecture and the city’s Great Buddha landmark, the buildings feature a double roof facade with proportions inspired by traditional Japanese shrines…
The Haunting Beauty of the Reconsecration of Shinto Shrines
Atlas Obscura
Photographer Yukihito Masuura spent more than a decade documenting rituals that connect past and present…
Emperor set to attend engagements through April ahead of abdication
The Japan Times
On April 18 the Imperial Couple will ceremonially report the Emperor’s abdication to his ancestors during a visit to the Grand Shrines of Ise, an ancient complex of Shinto shrines in Mie Prefecture…
Poetry and prayers: The daily life of Japan’s emperor
Malay Mail
From a ritual New Year’s breakfast and Shinto prayers to receiving state visits and opening parliament, Japan’s emperor has a diverse professional brief that occupies virtually every day of his year…
Japan’s emperors: from divine commander to ‘comforter-in-chief’
Mail Online
When Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne, he will be taking on a role that has changed almost beyond recognition from its mythological origins…
Kurumazaki: Kyoto’s “Cherry-Blossom Shrine”
Nippon.com
Cherry blossoms are viewable for longer at Kurumazaki Shrine than at many other places…
Sceptres and silk: the kit and garb of Japan’s enthronement
The Jakarta Post
The abdication of Japan’s outgoing Emperor Akihito and the enthronement of his son Naruhito will be solemn, ritual-bound affairs complete with sumptuous clothing and sacred paraphernalia…
Other News
Polish priest apologises for Harry Potter book burning
The Guardian
A priest in northern Poland who led a public burning of books that included Harry Potter titles and other “evil” items parishioners wanted destroyed has apologised…
Aphrodite statue on display for the first time
Ekathimerini
A marble statue of ancient Greek goddess of love Aphrodite is displayed for the first time in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Thursday…
Cherry blossom season in full bloom across Japan and the pictures are spectacular
The Independent
Cherry blossom season has started in Japan, with trees in major cities across the country in full bloom…
Hanami a reminder of life’s fleeting nature
The Japan Times
Although cherry trees bloom not only in Japan but in many other parts of the world, sakura trees seem to have a special appeal to people in this country…
‘Renowned scholar’ to help Hong Kong activists win court case in Japan over Tokyo Yasukuni Shrine protest, lawyers say
South China Morning Post
Alex Kwok and Yim Man-wa have been held in Japan since being arrested for trespassing after they burned symbolic tablet of country’s wartime leader…
Concerns mount over plans for two-mile road tunnel past Stonehenge
The Guardian
Highways England claims scheme will improve travel and visits to site but many oppose it…
Mummified mice found in ‘beautiful, colourful’ Egyptian tomb
The Guardian
Recently discovered tomb of official dating back more than 2,000 years contains dozens of animals and two mummies…
Ancient Egyptian Stone Coffin With Two Mummies on Top of Each Other Discovered
Newsweek
Archaeologists in Egypt uncovered two mummies and a stone coffin within a cemetery dating back some 5,000 years to the early ancient Egyptian period…
Ancient Egyptian sarcophagus to be opened on live TV
The Times of Israel
Thousands-year-old coffin to be featured on Discovery channel is believed to contain an Egyptian nobleman…
New Mexico Will Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day Instead Of Columbus Day From Now On
Bustle
On Tuesday, New Mexico officially eliminated Columbus Day as a statewide holiday, replacing it with one that honors Native Americans’ heritage instead. New Mexico will celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day from now on, making it the fifth state in the country to rename the October holiday…
Weird Norfolk: Do you need a spell to bring home your adulterous husband? Call the Norfolk Toad Witches
Eastern Daily Press
A pact with the Devil, a midnight ritual and the sacrifice of a toad – it sounds like medieval witchcraft, but in fact it’s a ritual which took place in Norfolk within living memory…
Aine, the Banshee Queen
The Tribune Papers
Ireland is a land of mystic legend, haunting music, lilting poetry, and colorful expressions, and these have followed the Irish and their descendents around the world…
Man Assaults Sister Accusing Her of Witchcraft
News Ghana
A 58-year-old man has allegedly inflicted cutlass wounds on his 60-year-old sister, Akua Ampofowaah after accusing her of being a witch…
Americans Say No To Religion-Based Discrimination By Businesses
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
A new poll shows that a solid majority of Americans opposes allowing business owners to deny services to people on the grounds of religious belief…
Sparking Joy and Spirituality: Kondō Marie Boom Highlights Decluttering Differences
Nippon.com
Kondō Marie’s decluttering techniques have won explosive popularity in both the United States and Japan. Yet she seems to appeal to the two cultures in different ways…
‘Witches’ still waiting for the healing touch
The Times of India
For scores of women living with tragic consequences after being branded as ‘dakan’ (witch), the road to justice is not only lonely but also difficult…
Malawi albinos kidnapped and sacrificed by witchdoctor gangs on the hunt for election charms
The Telegraph
For Malawi’s 10,000-odd albinos, being born with the condition is a curse…
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