Witchcraft

Across cultures
Witchcraft
A social construct
History and practice of witchcraft in many
small cultures
The meaning associated with the European
practice in the middle ages
Witchcraft
Associated with evil force bringing misfortune
to members in a community
The power of a witch is called supernatural
Immoral, antisocial and called evil
Witchcraft reflects human culture
Witchcraft among Azande
Mangu, a physical substance associated with
the body is inherited ( passed down from
father to son, or mother to daughter)
Mangu is not innately evil
All sorts of misfortune are attributed to
witchcraft not clearly explainable by any other
factor
It is a social, cultural and emotional issue and
the remedy lies in the ritual of divination.
Witchcraft among the Navahos
Is an act of initiation
Who becomes a witch? Generally people
mistreated in their role and position become
witches outside the norm
Is associated with immoral and antisocial
behavior such as greed, vengeance and envy
An explanation for the issues beyond human
control.

Euro- American witchcraft beliefs
To do with the evil spirit known as devil.
In Greek as Diabolos, Hebrew it is called Satan,
the adversary.
Witches are the individuals who made a pact with
the devil
Sorcery also hostile to God.
Sorcery, witchcraft as magic calling upon the
servants of Satan.
Magic, witchcraft as heresy crimes against God.
Witchcraft in Europe: Middle ages
As pagan, the work of the devil
Heresy
Revival of Roman law: fast conviction based on
accusation
Inquisition: Investigation by the Bishops
The papal Bull Ad Extirpanda 1252, extorting
the witches
Both Catholics and Protestants engaged in
conviction and execution of witches

The Witchcraze in Europe 1450 -
1650
The use of Printing Press
The book Malleus Maleficarum also known as
Hammer Against Witches published by
Catholic Church in 1487
Defined who is a witch (mainly women) and
their actions
Period of war, Reformation, Religious conflict
The witchcraze in UK and USA
Witch hunt in UK in 1600s was social rather
than religious, more hanging than burning
Salem trial in 1692 In USA
Women as victims: midwives, single destitute
women
Cause of social stress, upheaval, political,
economic tension and rapid change in the
society.
Functions of witchcraft beliefs
Christianity as the legitimate religion: power,
control and authority of the church
Way to deal with social conflict
Women as witches: Malleus says women are
weaker and vulnerable and evil
17
th
century, women as base, body/mind
divide
More single women because of migration
Midwives as accused vs. doctors
The evil eye
The power of the evil eye like witches lies in
the body of the individual.
Widely practiced in India, Near East, Europe
and Mexico
A charm or a formula is used to ward off the
evil eye
To avoid is not to show off ones good fortune.
The concept is associated with envy, jealousy

Modern day Witch Hunts
Mc Carthy era in the 1950s
Arthur Millers The Crucible , used the Salem
Trial as an allegory for Mac Carthysm.
Child sex abuse crisis in 1980s
Harry Potter book series
The rise of neo pagan religions like Wicca
The rise of goddess focus
Robert Graves: The White Goddess
(1948)Margaret Murry: The Witch-Cult in
Western Europe (1921) God of the Witches
(1933)
Gerald Gardner( 1884 1964) Coined the term
Wicca and popularized contemporary
Paganism
Doreen Valiente (1922 1999) promoted and
Gardner as his close associate
Raymond Buckland( 1934 -) brought Gardnerian
tradition to the USA


Modern movements in the USA

Margot Adler: Drawing Down the Moon
Starhawk: The spiral Dance