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Author Topic: Traditional Witchcraft?  (Read 14052 times)
lukophos
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« Reply #15: July 31, 2007, 06:42:07 pm »

Ok, so I must admit that I didn't expect such hostility!  I'm going to ignore the implications that I am attempting to one-up anyone, with apologies if I led you to believe so.  To reiterate, I make no claims that my religion is better than yours.

Compound words often pick up meanings that are more specific than their components might otherwise imply.  'Coffetable book' comes to mind, in that it is not just any book that lays on a coffeetable.  Likewise, green beans aren't just any type of bean that are green.  Arguments can be made that lima beans are, in fact, green, and are therefore green beans.  However, especially in specialized communities, disregard for common terminology hinders communication.  Traditional Witchcraft has a specific meaning (even if that meaning is relatively modern).   It has been in use to differentiate the Witchcraft faiths from what Gardner publicized since the 1960s.  Since these other Witchcraft faiths are distinct from all of the various incarnations of Wica/Wicca, the term is useful.  It loses its usefulness when these faiths are confused with folk magic.

The specific usage you are citing of TW, or TIW as it is frequently called (Traditional Initiatory Witchcraft)

I've only ever heard TIW refer to Traditional Initiatory Wicca, to differentiate Gardnerian/Alexandrian Wica from eclectic Wicca.  I've not before seen members of Cultus Sabbati, Clan of Tubal Cain, etc specify initiatory.

The only qualification for anyone to practice traditional whatever is that there be a tradition to support it.  Folk magic is such a tradition, in all its various permutations.  So are family habits, tribal concepts, etc.

I agree with the first sentence.  Folk magic, though, is an umbrella term for magical practices done by the common people.  Whilst they may be 'traditional' in the sense that they are old, they do not form a coherent tradition.  Taking someone else's family habits seems odd to me, and 'tribal concepts' typically have their own name for their practices, which may or may not translate into 'witchcraft' (eg. brujeria vs curandismo).

The OP wants to learn herbology, midwifery, and other arts that are traditionally associated with 'the village witch', the 'wise woman', the 'medicine worker', etc.  These are extant traditions, not the private property of religious groups who also use the word.

These things are folk magic, and from the names you give, from different parts of the world.  I never claimed ownership on the practices.  I do believe, though, that co-opting the term Traditional Witchcraft to mean folk magic is silly.  Within the Neopagan community these folks are often referred to as Kitchen Witches since they rarely come from a tradition.
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Purplewitch
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« Reply #16: July 31, 2007, 07:44:08 pm »


Folk magic, though, is an umbrella term for magical practices done by the common people.  Whilst they may be 'traditional' in the sense that they are old, they do not form a coherent tradition.   I do believe, though, that co-opting the term Traditional Witchcraft to mean folk magic is silly.  Within the Neopagan community these folks are often referred to as Kitchen Witches since they rarely come from a tradition.

What people are referred to can have little bearing on what they actually are or what they consider themselves to be.

Folk magic practices can form a coherent tradition, in and of themselves. I spent 35 years in a small insular place where they burnt and drowned a lot of people (for the size of the place) for those folk practises, and there is certainly enough coherence and commonality in those practises to argue it's designation as Traditional, for anyone following those folk practises today. The fact that I choose not to follow them (all) is a totally separate matter.

What I'm trying to say, I think, is that Traditional witchcraft and folk magic certainly can't be arbitrarily declared to be two totally different entities. Certainly common usage of the term Traditional Witchcraft is probably more likely to bring to mind folk magic than to not do so.
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catja6
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« Reply #17: August 01, 2007, 07:32:14 am »

I'm seeking to familiarize myself with the traditional side of Witchcraft, the midwifery, herbalist, etc.

I want to follow that path because it describes me and the only boundary is to take responsibility for what you do... (although you should remember Karma can bite butt big time!)

I know most Trad Witches don't include deity in their worship/religion, but I am one who will... so that'll be Raevyn's "Spruced-Up" version of TW.

I wonder if anyone here follows the Trad path and if anyone has any information on such...

Goddess bless!

I think you're running into some terminology issues.  When you capitalize "Traditional Witchcraft," it makes it sound as if you are referring to a specific *religion*, especially since the term "Tradition" or "Trad" within Wicca (in the broad sense) functions like "denomination."  If you're talking about the collection of folk magic that is traditionally ascribed to witches, I would say "traditional witchcraft" to avoid confusion.   

For books, check out the folklore section of your local university library.  Are you interested in European, American, African, etc. folk magic specifically, or just in general?   

Here's a great article on Italian folk magic/traditional witchcraft as distinct from NeoPagan forms; while this article is talking specifically about Italy, i think it's *extremely* important for anyone interested in European-based religious witchcraft traditions to read.
http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/natrel/pom/old/POM13a1.html

Here's the UCLA Folk Medicine Archive:
http://www.folkmed.ucla.edu/aboutus.html


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