Arts & Entertainment:
Harry Potter tour hopes to cast spell on UK Muggles
As all good students of the Harry Potter saga know well, Muggles are not usually allowed at Hogwarts school of witchcraft of wizardry. However, a new exhibition will soon give those not gifted with magical powers the chance to see some of the famous Potter film sets, such as the Great Hall and Dumbledore’s office, for themselves. Read full story from guardian.co.uk
The enchantments of witch fiction
Being a witch or wizard in the Potterverse, or in many other magical landscapes, is an exciting and desirable state – special, talented, glamorously outside the norm. But there are also contexts in children’s literature, particularly in historical fiction, fantasy or the bleed-space between genres, in which a little magic – or just the suspicion of it – is a dangerous thing. To be accused of witchcraft, whether truthfully, maliciously or both, may cause characters to be shunned or tormented by their communities, interrogated by frightening figures of authority, or even put to death if their luck runs finally out. Read full story from guardian.co.uk
Environment:
30 Million Plastic Bags Collected by School Kids to Save a Species
They’re like little troll dolls with tails. These super cute and super tiny animals are Cotton-Top Tamarins, found only in Columbia, and they’re about to disappear from the wild. But clever strategies for saving the forest in which they live have been devised by Proyecto Tití, from collecting plastic bags polluting the forest and turning them into marketable products to finding new sources of cooking fuel that spares trees. Read full story from treehugger.com
News:
‘Witch’ hunt continues in Rajasthan
Bhilwara (Rajasthan): A 60-year-old woman in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara says she was branded a witch, tortured and banished from her village, police said on Tuesday.
The incident took place in Fuliakhurd village in Bhilwara district, some 250 km from state capital Jaipur, and a case has been registered against four villagers. Police say an inquiry has been ordered.
“A group of people broke open the door of my house on Monday and started beating me. They held me by my hair and dragged me, saying I was a ‘dayan’ (witch). Then they ordered me to leave the village immediately,” the woman said in her complaint.
“They ostracised her and claimed that she was a ‘dayan’ (witch) and possessed an evil spirit,” a senior police officer said. Read full story from india.com
Religion:
Strange YouTube video claims Irish college hosts Satanic church – VIDEO
Here’s a strange one to start the week with.
According to Irish third level website StudentNews.ie, University College Cork — better known for recently accumulating such accolades as a five star quality rating from QS, and the Sunday Times Irish University of the Year — is in fact also playing host to a satanic religious institution on its main campus.
The Honan Chapel, known to students as the on-campus chapel, and also a popular wedding venue for those a little past their college-going years, boasts eerie satantic imagery according to this video from YouTube. Read full story from irishcentral.com
Attacks on Buddhists in Southern Region of Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand (CHAKRA)—In the southern region of the Narathiwat province, three consecutive bomb explosions killed four Malaysians as well as a Thai volunteer that was working in a tourist area. Concern has risen for the area, especially because officials believe that the targets of such blasts are foreign tourists. The specific targets of the blasts were a hotel and a Chinese-Thai cultural center, which were both partly damaged. These spoils have reminded the government of the ethnic minority problems that exist in the south. Read full story from chakranews.com
Samhain:
Samhain — Nature’s Holy Day for Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder
In the Northern Hemisphere, neopagans celebrate Samhain as the last harvest, the point at which the day has shortened and winter is setting in. Some modern pagans consider it the “witch’s new year,” though in other traditions, Samhain marked only the end of the year. The beginning of the year, the “new year,” came with the promise of light’s return at Yule, several weeks later. The span between the two stellar points was considered untime — a sacred experience outside our usual observation of time and space. Thus, an understanding of cyclic “Dead Time,” or “Dark Time,” entered our consciousness. Read full story from huffingtonpost.com
Media:
Dalai Lama scraps trip to South Africa; Tutu lashes out (Source: CNN)
Blogspot:
- Capital Witch – Starhawk and Pagan Cluster to Occupy Freedom Plaza
- Daughters of Eve – Lost in Translation… or maybe not
- Patheos – Don’t Worry, Wicca Isn’t A Real Religion (A Rant)
- The Wild Hunt – Virginia Court Says Divination Not A Religious Practice
Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.
If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.
Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!
Lisa
