|
PO Box
22, Baraboo, WI, 53913-0022 |
|
Email:
webmaster@officersofavalon.com |
|
To contact us: |
|
Volume 2 no. 5 Mabon/Alban Elved/Mean Foghamar/Winter
Finding 2007 |
|
South African Witchcraft Suppression Act One
of my South African readers informs me that one of their provinces is
bringing back their Witchcraft Suppression Act. Apparently this will make it an offense to
practice Wicca or even mention that you are a Witch. The reason that the authorities are giving
for supporting this legislation is that they are having problem with
Sangomas. Sangomas believe that they
can make charms called muti that help them commune with their ancestors and
cause miracles. To make a muti
sacrifice is involved: You need body
parts from a living human (who won’t be living once you’ve acquired these
parts). A number of South African
Pagan groups are now petitioning to have this Act scrapped as
unconstitutional and using freedom of religion arguments. AS we’ve seen in the past, it seems that
the authorities are using the actions of one group to ban everything that
they disapprove of. |
|
Dispatches: Official Newsletter of Officers of Avalon |
|
Be glorious! |
|
Wiccans
call the Autumnal Equinox Mabon, after the Celtic deity Mabon, son of Modron
(“mother”), who is mentioned in the story of Culhwch and Olwen. His name translates simply as “son”. It is also known as Alban Elved. Mabon is a Lesser Sabbat which is the
third and last harvest festival of the Wiccan calendar. It is a time of thanksgiving for the bounty
of the earth which will sustain the people through the Winter. Neither Mabon, nor any other Neo-Pagan
festival on this date involve any sort of blood ritual. Warnke need to check his Christian
calendars: Michaelmas (September 29) is held in the British Isles
to honour the archangel Michael. The
Druids had nothing to do with it. The
Autumnal Equinox is known as Mean Foghamar (“autumnal equinox”) by the ODU,
as An Fhomhair by the ADF, and as Alban
Elfed (“light of the water”) by OBOD. Mabon is the second of the Celtic harvest festivals: It marks the end of harvest-time, just as
Lughnasadh marked its beginning. Both
Wiccan and Druid ceremonies on this date give thanks for the fruits of the
earth and for the goodness of the Mother Goddess. It is a time of canning and drying the
fruits of the harvest and drying the herbs needed in the winter months. |
|
Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces Stefani Barner is coming out with a new book
called "Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces: A Handbook for Pagans in the
Military." Llewellyn will be releasing it in May
2008. Faith and Magick in the Armed Forces is a must read for the rapidly
growing community of Pagans either serving in the military or considering
such service. It covers all of the common issues faced by such warriors
and their families. Many of the issues covered would apply equally to
Pagans in law enforcement. I highly recommend it. Kerr Cuhulain |
|
Running for Avalon Cares Adam Fitch started running about a year and
a half ago and recently started running in events like 5Ks, 5-milers and
half-marathons. His most recent was in Salem, MA, 28 September, 2007. Adam wants to run to raise money for Avalon
Cares. “It's an orgainization that I feel very strongly about and want to
support,” Adam tells us, “I'm thinking I would do all the fundraising, maybe
asking if you could mention it to people to sponsor me, and then I would sent
the $$$ through paypal.” Anyone
interested in supporting Adam in this effort can reach him at
lunarshadow@mail.com |
|
Italian Police Magazine Interview Kerr Cuhulain did an on line interview with
an Italian journalist for the Italian trade union police magazine:
http://www.poliziaedemocrazia.it/live/index.php?domain=main
We’ll keep you all posted on when
this comes out. |
