Living Goddess loses status. 10-year-old Nepalese Kumari (living goddess) Sajani Shakya has had her status revoked for traveling to the United States. Shakya was traveling to promote a new documentary about the Kumari in Nepal, when word came from the Nepalese government that they would begin the process to look for a replacement due to her “forbidden” action. Ishbel Whitaker, the director of the documentary, claims that this rule never existed before now and that this is most likely a political move.

“Ishbel Whitaker, director of the film “Living Goddess” said she was shocked and saddened by this news and would make sure the girl’s education was provided for. “The rule of not being able to leave was never a rule before…. Nobody ever said the Kumari can’t travel” she said by telephone from London. Whitaker said they filmed in Bhaktapur for a year. “We had been speaking with people we felt were authorities, and now these others are claiming they are,” she said. The film crew consulted anthropologists, the head priests of Sajani’s temple and her parents, the director said. And she said the Nepalese Embassy helped arrange Sajani’s trip to the U.S.”

It should be interesting to see what further developments take place due to all the publicity placed on this tradition. Luckily Sajani Shakya will be well-cared in the wake of her losing her Kumari status, though it remains to be seen if the parents will appeal this decision. You can read my original post about the living goddesses and the documentary, here.

Witch School’s new home. Now that the Witch School has been sold (and shares sold in the “new” corporation), and they have closed up shop in Hoopeston, Illinois, they have decided on their brand new home. Rossville, Illinois.

“After four years, a Wiccan school is leaving Hoopeston, but it’s not going far. This week, the new owners will be moving the school into its new location at 117 S. Chicago St. in downtown Rossville. “We’re very happy to go to Rossville,” said Don Lewis, the chief executive officer of and majority shareholder in Witch School International … Lewis, who lives in Hoopeston but will be moving to Rossville, said people in Hoopeston showed support to the school, but some in the city government and the local power structure did not. “And I’m hoping the people of Rossville will not have any preconceived ideas about us, and come out and meet us,” he said. “They will find we are normal people. Everyone we’ve talked to so far in Rossville has been nice.” Just this week, Witch School International purchased the building in Rossville, which formerly housed the business Gift Baskets By Wilma.”

With Rossville’s estimated population of 1270 (and shrinking), perhaps Witch School will finally achieve their dreams of building a “Salem of the Midwest”. Though it may be hard to convince a couple thousand modern Pagans to move to a tiny town an hour’s drive from the nearest modern amenities. You can read previous Witch School-related posts, here.

Pagan Rally in Washington. I don’t have any major follow-ups on the rally that took place yesterday, but the On Faith blog has posted several more responses to their panelist question concerning Pagan chaplains, the Washington rally, and if you would vote for a Pagan politician. Not surprisingly, people like Chuck Colson are against the rights of Pagans, while Starhawk is emphatically pro-Pagan.

“I’m cheering for my Pagan sisters and brothers who are demonstrating on this Fourth of July for the right to have a Pagan chaplain in the military. Our constitution, which they have volunteered to defend, grants us the freedom of religion. That doesn’t mean “freedom of any religion we approve of but not those that make us uncomfortable or that we’ve never heard of.” It means freedom to follow the calling of one’s own faith and conscience.”

As I said in yesterday’s post, please let me know if any photos or write-ups of the rally appear, this is an important story and I want to follow it fully. For more posts on this subject (and on the Veteran Pentacle Quest) click, here.

Frosts Effigy Controversy. My original post discussing AJ Drew’s plans to destroy effigies of the Frosts, for writings that many feel promote pedophilia, has garnered more comments than any other on this blog (100 total and counting). Now AJ Drew himself is participating in the back and forth.

“The Frosts are promoted by Pagan Pride, Starwood, Sirius Rising, Brushwood, and other events. They are promoted by Patricia Telesco, Isaac Bonewitz, and other leading authors. Even Janet and Stewart Farrar made a video with Gavin Frost in which they called each other friends for decades. My plan to sacrifice them in effigy at this year’s International Real Witches Ball will bring attention to this. People who do not know, will know. They will no longer be able to hide the monsters that they are and those who supported them these many years will be shown for the money minded self promoting business as usual authors and organizations that they are.”

Since the original post is moving off the front page, I am posting links to the comment thread(s) so people can find the discussion and participate if they want. HERE are the Haloscan comments (which comprises the bulk of the comments), and HERE are the Blogger commments. Please try to remain civil, I’m pretty open-minded about comments, but I will not hesitate to delete anything that I think crosses a line (threats, intimidation, personal attacks).

That is all I have for now, have a good day.

Tags: AJ Drew, Gavin and Yvonne Frost, Kumari, Living Goddess, On Faith, Paganism, Veteran Pentacle Quest, Wicca, Witch School