Witches are often portrayed as villains in fairy tales or as practitioners of the satanic occult in horror films. But for practitioners of modern witchcraft, it is spiritual, empowering and magical.
Professor Helen A. Berger, researcher at Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Centerhas been researching modern witchcraft for decades.
“Witchcraft is the activity of practicing magic. There is usually a spiritual component, but there is a misconception that it is always associated with a religion,” Berger said. “There are religions that follow a set of rituals and holidays, like Wicca and some types of paganism, but witches are not always religious.”
Berger took the time to explain his background in witchcraft research, the modern reclamation of this practice and its links to feminist movements.
What sparked your interest in witchcraft research?
This research came to me, more than the subject. My research initially focused on historical witchcraft, with my thesis on the witch trials of early modern England.
In 1986, after years of research, I received a call from the Boston Public Library, asking me to give a series of lectures on witchcraft as part of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Learning Library program. I chose four topics on aspects of historical trials, but decided that the final lecture would be on modern witchcraft. I had very little knowledge about the subject at the time, but a friend of mine recommended I try it.
There was almost no research on this topic and it was difficult to contact modern witches, as many were in the “broom closet” at that time and were unwilling to share their stories. However, at the last session I noticed that a much younger group had arrived for the talk on modern witchcraft.
When an audience member asked if there were any practicing witches in the room, many raised their hands. It was a whirlwind moment. I spoke with a group of people who had raised their hands after my speech, planning to interview each of them. A couple was starting a Wiccan coven (a group or gathering of witches who meet regularly) and they invited me to join them as a researcher. I dropped everything to return to this subject.
It all seemed a bit absurd to me because I wasn’t a starter, but I did it. I have no regrets because it’s a great subject for me. I was able to help create a new subfield. I feel like I’ve made a real difference.
What does it mean to be a practicing modern Wiccan? What are their fundamental beliefs and rituals?
Wicca is less a religion of belief than of experience and ritual. There are eight major holidays throughout the year, each normally marked by a ritual. They commemorate the beginning and climax of each season. Right now, what is considered the most important holiday by most Wiccans, Samhain, is about to occur on October 31st, yes, Halloween.
On Samhain, the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is considered to be the thinnest, allowing one to contact one’s ancestors and deceased loved ones.
This holiday celebrates death as a necessary part of the natural cycle. Rituals celebrated this season encourage people to mourn those who have passed away, to reflect on their own ultimate death, and to think about the things they want to “die” for, that is, end their life, such as bad habits or a bad relationship. . In spring, new birth and new beginnings are celebrated in nature and in people’s lives. Each season brings a different set of changes to commemorate.
Witches in literature and pop culture have primarily been portrayed as female-identifying. Why is it?
Most witches in the Wiccan religion are women. Historically, during witch trials in Europe and the American colonies, most of those accused of witchcraft were also women. The Witches’ Hammer (a 1487 publication that shares instructions for persecuting witches) justified this by stating that women were more likely to be targets of the devil because they were weaker, both spiritually and emotionally. Fairy tales reflect this image in their depiction of witches.
Internationally, men seem to be seen as witches or shamans, using their magical powers to help the community, while women are linked to witchcraft in a negative way. Today, particularly in first world nations, there is a positive connection to women’s empowerment, but, historically and still internationally, witches were and are sometimes seen as evildoers. Most of this comes down to sexism.
When did the term “witch” evolve into empowerment?
Witchcraft is not inherently feminist. Witchcraft, as it is seen and talked about in much of Africa and Asia, is not feminist. The reasons women were killed in historic witch trials are complex, but they were not part of a feminist movement.
Today, however, for some, witchcraft is part of their feminism or “girl-power.” We first saw this in the 1960s and 1970s during the women’s movement. Mary Daly was one of the first feminists to reclaim the word. She has played a very important role in this area, but she is not the only one to do so. It’s the idea that these words that were used against women were taken and reshaped into something that we could use that would be positive.
What moments in history have witches had an impact on?
An organization, WITCH, or Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell, (also called “Women Inspired to Tell Their Collective Story”), was formed in the 1960s. It was a fabulous group of feminist and anti-war women. They did a lot of things where they brought out the word “witch.” They didn’t practice Wiccan, but they did political theater in terms of the anti-war movement, the civil rights movement, and to some extent the women’s movement.
After Richard Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia in 1970, the organization publicly hexed the president. In more recent events, some witches cast a binding spell (to stop some of his behavior) on Donald Trump when he was president. In return, some evangelicals who supported Trump were spiritually trying to stop the witches. There were, although not exactly curses, but spells that came and went. It was truly a phenomenal time.
As modern society evolves and social media becomes a focal point, how do you see the next generation of feminists connecting to witchcraft?
This is already happening thanks to Tik Tok. There are research articles that discuss Tik Tok witches. We have seen this trend increase in practice during the pandemic.
This generation is very individualized and focuses more on personal development. Most of them are young, aged 14 to 16. Psychologists would say that this is the time in your life where you develop who you are and become your own person. For centuries, women have been told to focus on their family. Focusing on yourself is a radical act. It’s stimulating.
What are you currently looking for? How does this relate to your past priorities?
I am currently working on two projects. One concerns pagans who are part of the far right. Since most Pagans are progressive or halfway politically, this group is something of an anomaly. The other project is the interfaith work that Pagans are currently doing.
