Join Me and the “Honored Dead” in Florida this November
Just thought I’d take a quick moment to do some shameless self-promotion, specifically, the fact that I’ll be presenting at the 2009 Samhain Florida Pagan Gathering! Also scheduled to appear will be Janet Farrar & Gavin Bone, Donald Michael Kraig, and musical guests Coyote Run. The event runs from November 5-9th (the theme being “Hail the Honored Dead”), and has gotten positive reviews from former presenters Thorn Coyle and Chas Clifton.
Here are the talks/discussions I’ll be giving:
Emerging Trends and the Pagan Movement: Reflections and predictions from reading and reporting the Pagan news.
As the Pagan movement grows and enters the mainstream, what can we expect in the coming years? Jason Pitzl-Waters, author of The Wild Hunt blog, will share some thoughts on emerging trends and possible outcomes gleaned from reading, investigating, and reporting the Pagan news on a daily basis for the last five years. Topics explored during the talk will include the ongoing growth in Pagan numbers, how the coverage and treatment of Santeria and other minority faiths will affect our rights, and moving into a post-Christian society.
Pagans and The New Media: How blogging, podcasting, twitter, and other technologies are changing the way we do things.
Modern Paganism once relied on handwritten personal correspondence and small newsletters to connect like-minded souls. Now, in an age of instant information and social networking, blogs, podcasts, and services like Facebook and Twitter have come to dominate how many of us communicate. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these new technologies? How will new media affect book and magazine publishing in the Pagan world? How can we utilize these advances in a way that benefits us? Join us as we explore these and other issues. (Depending on who else is at event, this might make this a panel discussion.)
A Darker Shade of Pagan: A brief (alternate) history of Pagan and occult music.
Many of you know the common circle chants, or have heard of well-regarded Pagan musicians like Gwydion Pennderwen, Isaac Bonewits, and Selena Fox, but did you know there was a parallel development of Pagan and occult music gestating deep in the musical underground? Join us on a trip through the “darker shade of Pagan” as we explore a variety of artists from the Industrial music pioneers of the late seventies to the psych-folk resurgence of today. Plus, we’ll also spend some time on some common ancestors linking these two worlds together.
If you’re in the area, or wanting an excuse to go to Florida for a Pagan festival, I hope I’ll see you there. This will be my very first proper festival experience, as well as my first time out doing talks of this sort, so wish me luck! I’ll be adding a little side-bar on the blog to remind everyone of this appearance (and if all goes well, future appearances as well).
7 responses so far
Wish I could be there, but the Great Blue Northeast is too far away. I know you'll contribute enormously to the event.
See you there! If you’d be interested in making the tech talk a panel discussion, I’m a pagan technologist, systems analyst, sysadmin, Web developer and webmaster with 15 years of experience in these areas and I’d love to get up there with you.
Cool! I also wish I could be there; kick butt.
Speaking of your scholarship, what's happening with your history of pagan music?
I hope your workshop comments will be available on the Web.
Baruch Dreamstalker
Maybe I can try to make a long overdue trip to see Fritz and Wren and others, and attend this event as well…it'd be great to catch some of your workshops.
Heck, if you can make it, I'd love for you to participate in my new media talk.
Fritz and Wren used to join us once in a while when the festial was in St Pete. We'd love to have them see our new site!