Pagan Tama
Top stories of the week in Paganism and Shinto:
- Ancient Greek altar unearthed at archeological site in Sicily
- Rice spirit ‘wins’ in sumo ritual as good harvest predicted on Japan island
- Kyoto’s Gion Festival begins; most events to be held in full form for 1st time in 4 yrs
And more – see below…
Pagan News
US: Evangelicals claim Paganism isn’t really Pagan
Patheos Pagan (John Beckett)
I recently came across an article from the Evangelical Christian website Breakpoint titled Is New Paganism Actually Pagan?…
UK: Glastonbury’s ‘New Age’ echoes ancient traditions
Glastonbury Nub News
Contrary to what many believe, the magnetic pull of Glastonbury has transcended conventional norms for centuries…
Canada: P.E.I. Witch Market brings ‘good vibes’ to vendors and visitors
Saltwire
The third P.E.I. Witch Market took place at the Haviland Club on Saturday, June 24…
US: This Hoodoo Spiritualist built a $24m+ empire casting success spells
Essence
Lala Inuti Ahari has tapped into the multi-billion-dollar witchcraft industry helping people listen to their spirit and master the power of manifestation…
UK: Gongs, chanting and Celtic Shamanism: What I learnt from a day at the Glastonbury Healing Field
The Independent / Yahoo!
The Glastonbury Healing Field is but a short walk from the massive club with the Tube train crashed into it but, vibes-wise, a full dimension or two removed…
5 best Pagan horror movies to send shivers down your spine even if you’re a skeptic
ST
Paganism is an inspirational goldmine for filmmakers, and these five movies use the folk horror element brilliantly…
Shinto News
Rice spirit ‘wins’ in sumo ritual as good harvest predicted on Japan island
The Mainichi
A festival to pray for a bountiful harvest of rice was recently held at a shrine in Ehime, the first such performance in four years of “hitori zumo” (solo sumo) in which a sumo wrestler battles an imaginary rice spirit, drawing applause for its realistic performance…
Kyoto’s Gion Festival begins; most events to be held in full form for 1st time in 4 yrs
The Mainichi
The annual summer Gion Festival began in Japan’s ancient capital on July 1, with a child in the costume of a “divine messenger” performing a ritual at Yasaka Shrine to pray for the safety of the festival…
Kagura and Shomyo cultural traditions kept alive as stage performance
The Japan News
Kagura, dancing to live music to worship Shinto deities, and shomyo, the chanting of Buddhist sutras, are gaining attention as a result of live performances that are being held in different cities nationwide…
Mount Fuji climbing season starts as 1 of 4 main trails reopens
Japan Today
Mount Fuji’s climbing season started on Saturday as one of its four main hiking trails reopened and a ceremony was held to pray for the safety of climbers at a shrine on Japan’s tallest and most iconic mountain…
New research finds Mount Fuji may have erupted more often than previously thought
The Japan Times*
Mount Fuji may have erupted more frequently than previously thought, a joint research team from the University of Tokyo and the Mount Fuji Research Institute announced Friday, which could potentially impact disaster preparedness in eastern and central Japan…
Sacred temples, shrines could serve as shelters
Star Advertiser
Temples, shrines and other religious structures across Japan are increasingly being considered for use as evacuation shelters during natural disasters…
How a horse’s death may lead to reform for ancient Japanese festival
BBC
A horse’s death and allegations of animal cruelty sparked a national outcry against a famous Shinto festival in a Japanese mountain town. The authorities have now promised reforms – but can this 680-year-old event change enough to secure its future?…
US: Wellington to recognise Tanabata with wish tree displays
The Town-Crier
Between Saturday, July 1 and Friday, July 7, the Village of Wellington invites the community to stop by the Wellington Community Center, Village Hall or Village Park to hang a Tanzaku on one of the bamboo “Wish Trees,” on display in the lobbies. Village Hall and the Wellington Community Center will be closed on Tuesday, July 4…
6 best summer and year-end festivals happening in Osaka in 2023
Time Out
Visiting Osaka in the second half of 2023? Put these traditional festivals, fireworks shows and art events on your itinerary…
Secret symbols: exploring pentagrams at Seimei Shrine
GaijinPot
Why is a temple full of pentagrams near the Kyoto Imperial Palace?…
Other News
Italy: Ancient Greek altar unearthed at archeological site in Sicily
The Globe and Mail
An ancient Greek altar for family worship dating back more than 2,000 years has been found in the archeological site of Segesta on the Italian island of Sicily, local authorities said on Friday…
UK: English Heritage decline to buy prehistoric Yorkshire monument as negotiations over price break down
The Yorkshire Post
English Heritage declined to buy a prehistoric monument currently for sale in Yorkshire due to concerns over the cost of its upkeep…
Italy: Ancient Roman Pantheon to start charging entry from Monday
AsiaOne
Visitors to Rome’s Pantheon, one of the ancient world’s best preserved monuments, will have to pay a 5 euro (S$7.38) entrance fee from Monday (July 3), Italy’s tourism ministry has said…
UK: Beaghmore – The ancient stones, the night sky and giant trolls
BBC
Local historians and Mid Ulster Council are trying to raise awareness of the Beaghmore Stone Circle’s astronomical connections…
UK: ‘UnTyMe’ is a startlingly unique folk anti-horror project exploring Anglo-Celtic ritual
Stir World
The UnTyMe team discusses their project, the universe and explores its ritualistic folklore-inspired bedrock…
US: Historic Arizona mining town backs copper project on land that Native American groups say is sacred
AP
Growing up in a mining family that goes back generations, Mayor Mila Besich knew the Oak Flat Campground as the place where she attended union picnics as a girl and in earlier years her parents stood in a clearing to hear the World Series on the radio…
Chinese authorities search for illegal religious literature
The Wild Hunt
Last week, two stories emerging from China raised additional concerns about the state of religious liberty, particularly in regard to the practice of folk religions…
Why did Francisco Goya paint witches?
The Collector
Francisco Goya’s grim and unnerving images of witches’ sabbaths and flying sorceresses hide an intriguing story behind them…
Armenia’s “Stonehenge”: Predating Egypt’s pyramids by three millennia
Curiosmos
Situated in Armenia, the site of Karahunj, also referred to as Zorats Karer or Armenia’s Stonehenge, is believed to precede England’s Stonehenge by a whopping 3,500 years and Egypt’s Pyramids by a staggering 3,000 years…
‘Witch Hunts’ Past & Present
India: Elderly woman beaten to death over suspicion of witchcraft in Gumla
ETV Bharat
The accused dragged the woman out of her house while she was having dinner over the suspicion of ‘witchcraft’ which they said had made a girl ill…
Nigeria: Police launch manhunt for killers of woman accused of ‘witchcraft’ in Cross River
TheGuardian.ng
Police Command in Cross River has launched a manhunt for alledged killers of a woman accused of witchcraft in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state…
Philippines: Woman claiming a ‘witch’ caused her miscarriage causes panic in Naga
SunStar
A pregnant woman caused the residents of Barangay Naalad in Naga City, southern Cebu to panic after she said she was ‘molested by a witch’…
Zimbabwe: Woman takes son to court over ‘witchcraft’ allegations
Bulawayo24
A Warren Park woman on Monday dragged her son before magistrate Sharon Mashavira asking the court to bar him from her home after he accused her of witchcraft…
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