Paganism

The Function of Pagan Celebrity

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When I met Cher, I was surprised at the narrowness of her face. It’s a strange observation to make, I suppose. She was tall, with a very small frame. Clearly there was something dynamic about her, but it’s difficult to discern whether or not I was observing an echo of observations I’d made about the Cher I’d seen on television, in videos, or in movies. Standing before someone who for all of my life has been a celebrity icon, I couldn’t help but notice the trace of something completely unlike what had been displayed in media; something quite ordinary. For a brief moment, peering out at me from beneath the vivacious wig and extravagant outfit, was a simple, 67 year old woman.

News

A threatened world: the Tarkine of Tasmania

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South of the Australian mainland lies the island-state of Tasmania; an island recognized for its remarkable natural bounty. Over 40% of the island is currently covered in protected park lands and natural preserves. In the North West corner of Tasmania is a remote area called the Tarkine, named for the Tarkiner Aborigines who once called it home. Within its 447, 000 hectares (about 180,000 acres), the Tarkine contains the largest single tract of undisturbed temperate rainforest in Australia and one of the largest in the world.  These old-growth forests have remained virtually undisturbed since the existence of the ancient Gondwana supercontinent and are home to an unknown number of native flora and fauna, such as the Eucalypt forest, and rare animal species, such as the endangered Tasmanian devil.