Harmony in the Hollow Pagan Pride logo
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas. – Reports from Harmony in the Hollow Pagan Pride at Hidden Acres Farms near Russellville Arkansas just northwest of Little Rock said that a swastika had been painted on the road leading to the event this weekend.
Organizers contacted the sheriff’s office about the vandalism who informed organizers that more swastikas had been found on the same road leading to the event near the house of a Black family. The officers noted that the swastikas had been appearing in the county for some time. It was also not clear who, if anyone specifically, was being targeted by the hate imagery vandalism.
Harmony in the Hollow Pagan Pride event organizers planned to cover the closest swastika with a Pride flag but were advised against it by the authorities. The swastikas were covered with asphalt by local authorities.
On May 5, 2019, after Arkansas Tech University came was publically criticized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for naming a scholarship after a deceased history professor who was accused of teaching Holocaust denial to students, white supremacists harassed a Holocaust remembrance event with racist, threatening chants and imagery. The white supremacists carried swastika-bearing flags. They were led by Billy Roper, a former student of the deceased professor and who the Southern Poverty Law Center identified as a “full-time white nationalist”. The white supremacists interrupted the March of Remembrance in Russellville, Arkansas, heckling speakers and chanting “six million more,” a reference to the number of Jews murdered during the Holocaust.
The weekend’s vandals have not yet been identified.
HARTFORD, Connecticut- On May 26, 2023, the Connecticut Senate voted 33-1 to exonerate 12 people who were convicted of witchcraft in the 1600s. The resolution, which was sponsored by Senator Rob Sampson, acknowledged that the trials were a “miscarriage of justice” and that the accused were “innocent victims of fear and superstition.”
The exoneration is the culmination of a long campaign by descendants of the accused witches and their supporters. The CT Witch Trial Exoneration Project, a group of historians and genealogists, has been working for years to raise awareness of the trials and to push for justice for the accused.
The trials took place in the mid-to-late 1600s, during a period of religious and social upheaval in Connecticut. The accused witches were mostly women, and many of them were poor or marginalized. They were accused of witchcraft by neighbors, family members, and even children.
The trials were conducted in a kangaroo court atmosphere, with little regard for due process. The accused were not allowed to have legal representation, and they were often tortured into confessing. Eleven of the 12 accused witches were hanged, and one died in prison.
The exoneration of the accused witches is a significant step in acknowledging the injustice of the trials and the prejudice that led to them. It is also a reminder of the dangers of religious extremism and the importance of protecting the rights of the accused.
The exoneration has been met with widespread praise, including from Governor Ned Lamont, who called it “a long overdue act of justice.” The resolution has also been praised by historians and legal scholars, who say it sets an important precedent for other states that have had witch trials.
The exoneration is a significant victory for the CT Witch Trial Exoneration Project and its supporters. It is a reminder that the past can be changed and that justice can be done, even for those who have been dead for centuries.
In a statement, the CT Witch Trial Exoneration Project wrote “Our group is ecstatic, pleased and appreciative for the 34 indicted witch trial victims, 11 of whom were hanged, their descendants, and many others who care about justice. The special timing is incredible and helps us to honor the victims today. We would like to thank Representative Jane Garibay who helped us since July of 2022 and Senator Saud Anwar who joined our efforts in January of 2023. We are grateful to descendants, advocates, historians, legislators of both parties, and many others who made this official resolution possible.”
Actor and Broadway legend Patti Lupone will be cast as Lilia Calderu in the upcoming WandaVision spinoff from Disney+.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Coven of Chaos is a group of witches who are dedicated to the pursuit of power and chaos. They are led by Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch who has been around for centuries. The Coven of Chaos is based in Salem, Massachusetts, and they have a long history of causing trouble. “We are a coven of witches, and the witches are Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, and the familiar—if anybody knows ‘Heartstopper’—is Joe Locke. And Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, and myself,” LuPone reveals. “And I play Lilia Calderu, a 450-year-old Sicilian witch, whose power is divination, and whose trial is tarot.” [Editorial Note: It is not clear what is meant by the word “trial” in the quote.] Lupone added, “I researched her, she’s hot, she’s really hot, she’s got a great body and hair.”
Agatha: Coven of Chaos is expected in 2024 and will also star Kathryn Hahn as the MCU’s titular witch Agatha Harkness whose amazing performance in Wandavision exploded the fan base and created the hotly-anticipated new series.
Agatha Harness via Marvel Studios
Locke is expected to be playing a teenage Billy Maximoff, the son of the Scarlet Witch. Billy Maximoff becomes the superhero, Wiccan, whose problematic name has been criticized by Pagans and Witches as inappropriate because it refers to a religion, while also being an appropriation. TWH’s managing editor has pointed out there would be tremendous outrage over “Catholic Man” or “Ms. Islam”.
On famous scene from Issue #2 of Young Avengers shows MCU’s Loki calling out the character for his name. In Young Avengers, Billy Maximoff’s name is changed to Demiurge.
Image via Marvel Entertainment
The Wild Hunt will follow the story as new details emerge about Agatha: Coven of Chaos and how Marvel/Disney will handle Billy Maximoff’s superhero name.
Announcements
The Atheopagan Society announced Jarod K. Anderson as the keynote speaker at their upcoming Web Weaving Conference, scheduled to take place online on Saturday, June 3 from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm (PDT), and Sunday, June 4 from 10:00:am until 5:15 pm (PDT). Mark Green, from the Atheopagan Society Council, told TWH, “Jarod K. Anderson, the Cryptonaturalist, creates such beautiful and thought-provoking writing about nature that we are completely thrilled he has agreed to be our keynote speaker.” Anderson is an author, poet, and creator of “The CryptoNaturalist Podcast.” On his website, his work is described as, “Ranging from optimistic contemplations of mortality to appreciations of single-celled organisms, Jarod is forever writing love letters to the natural world.” His poetry collections, Field Guide to the Haunted Forest (2020) and Love Notes from the Hollow Tree (2022) reflect his fascination and wonder with the natural world. Anderson also has a forthcoming memoir about chronic depression and reconnecting with nature that will be published in 2024 by Timber Press. The Web Weaving Conference is a weekend Zoom gathering for Atheopagans, that offers a variety of entertainment, community-building, workshops, and socializing opportunities. The conference will feature workshops on diverse topics such as “Sarcastic Tarot;” recovering from religious abuse; LGBTQ+ allyship; and includes a children’s circle. Registration is open and more details, including the conference’s programming schedule, are available on their website.
The Earth-based Spirituality Action Team (ESBAT) is for anyone who keeps the sacred Earth at the center of their practice. We see action on climate change as an urgent moral imperative. We aim to reach out to our global communities and recruit volunteers for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. We recognize and honor the spiritual nature of climate work.
The monthly meeting of the Earth-based Spirituality Action Team will take place on Monday, June 12th at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (5 PM Pacific) via Zoom. The next month will feature Rev. Debbie Philp, an inter-spiritual minister, a Shamanic Reiki Master Teacher, and a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in injured freshwater turtles. Her ceremonies and teachings are centered on spiritual ecology and reflect her commitment to deep interconnection with the Earth’s wild beings.
You can find out more about Debbie’s non-profit, Dancing Turtle Rescue on their website. You can also locate a nearby wildlife rehabilitator via US – Animal Help Now.
Information about ESBAT is available on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The meeting will be hosted on Zoom and facilitated by a member of our Action Team. Additional information is available on the ESBAT sites above.
Other Upcoming Gatherings:
- The 31st annual St. Louis Pagan Picnic will be held on Saturday, June 3, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm and Sunday, June 4, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (CDT) in Tower Grove Park. The event is free and family-friendly, featuring a variety of workshops, musical performances, rituals, and vendors. The event also offers a Kid Zone that will include crafting and other activities for children.
- Circle Sanctuary announced that registration for Pagan Spirit Gathering is now open. The annual event includes a variety of vendors, workshops, music, and rituals.
- Summer Magick Fest has an updated schedule of events for its second year of the event, coming up June 8-11, 2023. Jason Mankey has been added to the list of headliners which also includes Yeshe Matthews of the Mt Shasta Goddess Temple, Stacey Williams-Ng creator of the Southern Gothic Oracle, Coby Michael author of The Poison Path Herbal, and This Old Witch podcasters, Alexander Cabot and Melas Karan. Musical guests include Alexian and S. J. Tucker. Registration is still open and rooms are available in the Doubletree Orlando Airport conference hotel. Information about Summer Magick Fest and registration is available on their website.
- The fifth annual Mystic South Conference (MSC) will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, and will take place on July 14-16, 2023. The conference notes that it is a magickal event with a Southern flair. It is “filled with workshops, educational abstract presentations, rituals, community building, and much more.” Conference registration is now available as it is hotel registration. In addition, the MSC is accepting applications for volunteers who will be offered a discount on registration. Details about volunteer registration are available in the MSC volunteer section. Cherry Hill Seminary (CHS) has also announced it would be holding its Summer Intensive at Mystic South Conference. More details can be found on the CHS website.
- Editorial Note: Several members of the MSC team are writers for The Wild Hunt. They were not involved in this week’s Pagan Community Notes of these mentions.
Positively Noteworthy
Last month, after the “worst day ever” that was from “literal hell” Abbie Cashman from Cork, Ireland released a TikTok video that went viral. She called a driver with her ride-share app and while in the car discovered the chauffeur had a friend.
“As we were driving, (the driver) was like ‘Oh, my friend’s back there,’ and I look out the window and this crow is flying beside me,” Cashman said.
The driver’s friend is a crow that has been following him around. Cashman was able to feed the crow and capture a video.
“This is a story NOBODY would have believed if it wasn’t for this video,” one person wrote. “Pure class. Your laugh is pure joy.”
“Oh to be a taxi driver with a pet crow…” another person commented.
@abbiecashman7 From having the day from literal hell to the SWEETEST taxi driver making my day with this wild crow who follows him🥲 literally couldnt not post it, thank you Rory🥹🫶🏻 #cork #taxi #crow
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Grimalkin’s Curious Cats Tarot, by MJ Cullinane, published by Hay House, Inc.
Card: King of Pentacles
This week places an emphasis on resources, generosity, and commitment. Those who have prospered as a result of a benefactor may feel the need to “pay it forward” as part of their ongoing commitment to social good.
Conversely, there is the potential for focus on ensuring prior agreements and commitments are met, as well as being reliable and using resources wisely vs. stingily.
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