Today in South Africa, we celebrate Freedom Day, which commemorates the first democratic elections for our nation. As Pagans, we celebrate Pagan Freedom Day because the day also commemorates the official start of religious freedom in South Africa.
I'm sure that those of you who are Pagan across the world will appreciate the significance of this step in a country's liberties. Pagans have traditionally, at least in Western societies, been shunned, oppressed and vilified by the predominantly Christian ideologies which insinuate their way into governments.
I self-identify as a South African witch. Since South Africa is a virtual melting pot of religious and philosophical influences, with an underlying foundation of traditional southern African occult practices, we are able to draw on a number of aspects from our heritages. Far from being able to define my personal spiritual system, I am still exploring my relationship with the various Gods and Goddesses that I discover and call upon for assistance in my everyday life.
As a fighter, I identify strongly with the warrior Gods and Goddesses from various traditions. Although it is commonly frowned upon to mix pantheons, I feel that in my path, it has come quite naturally to call on Sekhmet and Odin and Thor in one breath, before a tournament fight.
These practices, as well as some of the native African practices, feature everywhere in my life, and have come about as a natural evloution of my exploration of my own heritages. Without the religious freedom to do this, it would have been very difficult. Since 1994, there have been a multitude of Pagan belief systems emerging from the proverbial broom closet in South Africa, each one influencing seekers of enlightenment, and offering access in their own way to knowledge that would otherwise have been hidden. We have had a number of prominent Pagan leaders come into the public arena to advocate for the rights of Pagans, and to offer their own wisdoms to those who wish to find an alternative to their (mostly) Christian upbringing. We even have second and third generation Pagans, who have not converted, but been brought up in Pagan homes. There is also a growing support system for Pagan families, and we hold gatherings across the country where Pagans of all ages, races and traditions can come together to be with like-minded people, which would never have been a good idea before 1994.
It has also become (somewhat) more socially acceptable to self-identify as a Pagan (if not as a witch) in our country, and I find more and more that there are people openly wearing their pentacles and ankhs and other Pagan symbols, not as a shock-value adornment (as teenagers often do to piss off their parents), but as a genuine representation of their belief system, which is good.
People are still a little taken aback, however, when they visit our place, and find that we have no security at all. Our house lacks the usual South African trademarks of vigilance and fear: burglar bars on every window, security gates on every door, electric fencing, remote-operated gates, alarm system, CCTV, motion sensors, etc. Instead, we use hotfoot powder, chicken feet and runes for warding and protection. And while the rest of our community is getting robbed (this month alone we've had a number of "home invasions" in our area, with vehicles and tech being stolen from various houses), despite all of their security measures, we have been left alone. At this point, I touch wood and thank my Gods for their blessing. I believe that it is, in a very real sense, all about the relationship that we develop with our respective deities.
It may, of course, have something to do with our training sessions, which have been witnessed and recorded by curious passers-by, but I prefer to believe that our protective measures have also played a part, and while we are always prepared to defend ourselves from incursion, I am also grateful that my Gods have not yet seen fit to test us in that respect.
Back to the fighting, though, we use spells for just victory and protection on all of our weapons and armour, as well as our property. That doesn't mean that we expect the Gods will grant us victory for every fight. We still accept that the result is largely determined the the amount of dedication and training we put into our sport. However, I have not yet been seriously injured in my five years of fighting, and have won my fair share of bouts over the years. Before fighting and during my bouts, I have a strong sense of the presence of my Gods and Goddesses, lending me strength and courage, and I take confidence from that awareness.
I think that it comes back round to having the freedom to worship as we see fit, the freedom to live what we believe, and to be able to celebrate according to our own belief systems. As a South African witch, this right is as sacred to me as the right to vote, or the right to publish this post on a public forum, without fear of reprisal. So today, I celebrate Pagan Freedom Day (being sick as I am) with a sacrifice of wine and food to my Gods and Goddesses, and a prayer of thanks to the Ancestors who watch over this land and keep us safe.
Whatever you are doing today, I hope that your Gods and Goddesses also watch over you, and that you are also able, as I am, to worship them in the manner that your belief system suggests.
Merry Pagan Freedom Day and good fighting to all!
I'm sure that those of you who are Pagan across the world will appreciate the significance of this step in a country's liberties. Pagans have traditionally, at least in Western societies, been shunned, oppressed and vilified by the predominantly Christian ideologies which insinuate their way into governments.
I self-identify as a South African witch. Since South Africa is a virtual melting pot of religious and philosophical influences, with an underlying foundation of traditional southern African occult practices, we are able to draw on a number of aspects from our heritages. Far from being able to define my personal spiritual system, I am still exploring my relationship with the various Gods and Goddesses that I discover and call upon for assistance in my everyday life.
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| Josh's personal coat of arms, with a silver Valknott on a sanguine background |
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| My personal coat of arms, with the God/Goddess symbol on a purple background, silver and gold representing both male and female aspects |
As a fighter, I identify strongly with the warrior Gods and Goddesses from various traditions. Although it is commonly frowned upon to mix pantheons, I feel that in my path, it has come quite naturally to call on Sekhmet and Odin and Thor in one breath, before a tournament fight.
These practices, as well as some of the native African practices, feature everywhere in my life, and have come about as a natural evloution of my exploration of my own heritages. Without the religious freedom to do this, it would have been very difficult. Since 1994, there have been a multitude of Pagan belief systems emerging from the proverbial broom closet in South Africa, each one influencing seekers of enlightenment, and offering access in their own way to knowledge that would otherwise have been hidden. We have had a number of prominent Pagan leaders come into the public arena to advocate for the rights of Pagans, and to offer their own wisdoms to those who wish to find an alternative to their (mostly) Christian upbringing. We even have second and third generation Pagans, who have not converted, but been brought up in Pagan homes. There is also a growing support system for Pagan families, and we hold gatherings across the country where Pagans of all ages, races and traditions can come together to be with like-minded people, which would never have been a good idea before 1994.
It has also become (somewhat) more socially acceptable to self-identify as a Pagan (if not as a witch) in our country, and I find more and more that there are people openly wearing their pentacles and ankhs and other Pagan symbols, not as a shock-value adornment (as teenagers often do to piss off their parents), but as a genuine representation of their belief system, which is good.
People are still a little taken aback, however, when they visit our place, and find that we have no security at all. Our house lacks the usual South African trademarks of vigilance and fear: burglar bars on every window, security gates on every door, electric fencing, remote-operated gates, alarm system, CCTV, motion sensors, etc. Instead, we use hotfoot powder, chicken feet and runes for warding and protection. And while the rest of our community is getting robbed (this month alone we've had a number of "home invasions" in our area, with vehicles and tech being stolen from various houses), despite all of their security measures, we have been left alone. At this point, I touch wood and thank my Gods for their blessing. I believe that it is, in a very real sense, all about the relationship that we develop with our respective deities.
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| My medicine bag |
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| A bag of home-made hotfoot powder |
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| Bindrune on the wall next to an open window |
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| Chicken feet from my Australorp rooster, Mick Jagger. That's a whole other story! |
It may, of course, have something to do with our training sessions, which have been witnessed and recorded by curious passers-by, but I prefer to believe that our protective measures have also played a part, and while we are always prepared to defend ourselves from incursion, I am also grateful that my Gods have not yet seen fit to test us in that respect.
Back to the fighting, though, we use spells for just victory and protection on all of our weapons and armour, as well as our property. That doesn't mean that we expect the Gods will grant us victory for every fight. We still accept that the result is largely determined the the amount of dedication and training we put into our sport. However, I have not yet been seriously injured in my five years of fighting, and have won my fair share of bouts over the years. Before fighting and during my bouts, I have a strong sense of the presence of my Gods and Goddesses, lending me strength and courage, and I take confidence from that awareness.
 |
| You may be able to make out the Hagall rune on the blade. The polearm is called "Hail". |
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| This is the base of the first staff I made. I called it "Rethor" (the actual letters used in this name are different), which in old Icelandic means phallus. |
I think that it comes back round to having the freedom to worship as we see fit, the freedom to live what we believe, and to be able to celebrate according to our own belief systems. As a South African witch, this right is as sacred to me as the right to vote, or the right to publish this post on a public forum, without fear of reprisal. So today, I celebrate Pagan Freedom Day (being sick as I am) with a sacrifice of wine and food to my Gods and Goddesses, and a prayer of thanks to the Ancestors who watch over this land and keep us safe.
Whatever you are doing today, I hope that your Gods and Goddesses also watch over you, and that you are also able, as I am, to worship them in the manner that your belief system suggests.
Merry Pagan Freedom Day and good fighting to all!
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