ThothWeb - Your Portal to the Unknown - Pagan festival mixes magic and pride

The Rev. Kirk White sat Sunday under a huge tree on Legislative Mall, warning scores who sat in a circle on the ground around him that these are significant times for their faith. By caring for the earth and each other, promoting interfaith cooperation, giving individual service for others and championing the freedom of faith for all, he said, "We are changing the world, but we are tiny."

They are pagans, dictionary-defined as those who are not Christian, Muslim or Jew, often recognizing multiple gods. That includes Wiccans, from a variety of nature-based traditions, which often use the pentagram, a star in a circle, as their symbol.

Estimates of the faith's numbers range from about 200,000 nationwide to three times more than that, although there is no accurate state-by-state count, said White, a Vermont resident. And while many refuse to acknowledge their faith, he said, it has been recognized by the American Academy of Religion.

Hundreds gathered Sunday for the Delmarva Pagan Pride Festival, being held for the sixth time and the first since organizers changed its name from the Dover Pagan Pride Day.

Ivo Dominguez Jr., of Georgetown, said a committee plans the event each year, with the Bell, Book & Candle shop providing meeting space, a copier and aid, while the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel, a Wiccan tradition based in the mid-Atlantic states, lends backing as a certified nonprofit group.

Traci Coleman of Dover, a Wiccan, helps "herd the cats," he said, and "every year, the event magically comes together."

The festival began in Newark, skipped a couple of years and became annual a few years ago in Dover, he said. While admission is free, donations were encouraged for area food banks.

White, guest of honor and an author about magic, spells and rituals, considers himself a witch, Druid and pagan as well as a teacher, healer, magician, minister and more. Event organizers also say he has taught about various Wicca and witchcraft topics more than 25 years and founded pagan churches. White warned the crowd that pagans must be responsible because their faith became an acknowledged religion quickly, getting official recognition in only three years.

Pagans cannot afford to have untrained counselors and must remember that facilities including prisons require credentials for those who provide services, White said. He cited one case that was especially damaging, a woman who said she was a pagan counselor and visited inmates, but apparently believed her counseling should include having sex with all the inmates.

"Not good," he said.

While having outgrown the stages he called "forming and storming," paganism now is "norming," or becoming like some religions. Although pagans may continue to believe in magic, he said, "if we're not careful, we'll become the big white circle on Main Street where all the pews face forward."

He urged listeners to be of service -- whether their calling is dance, music, drumming, ministry or filling out paperwork for government agencies so events such as the festival can take place. "Everyone is a priest or priestess," he said. "Each of us has unique gifts."

Joe McGinnis of the Crumpton, Md., area, thanked and congratulated White on his talk, saying that the message of paganism, to love the earth, is as ancient as it is contemporary.

"We're the original 'green' people," he said, and White agreed.

White's message also hit home for former Bear resident Deborah Griffitts, now of the Kenton area. She had White sign a copy of his book, "Adept Circle Magick: A Guide for the Advanced Wiccan Practitioner."

Griffitts said she attended a Christian church for 20 years and grew sad and poor, upon giving her money, being called a sinner and learning to fear death.

"It took me my whole life to learn this is where I belong," she said, adding that she found her faith through a chance encounter, walking into the Bell, Book & Candle shop in Dover, which supports the festival.

"As children, we were taught that witches were evil," she said, but she learned that was not true. "There's no devil in the craft, that was a Christian creation to demonize pagans."

A solitary Wiccan -- practicing alone and not with a group -- Griffitts is in close company nonetheless. She went to the festival with her son Jason and his girlfriend Jeannie Stephen.

"They're Wiccan, and so are my three granddaughters and grandson," she said beaming.

Despite past intrusions of church groups trying to convert those at the festival, she said, "I look forward to this every year."

She spotted friends in the crowd, where rows of booths and tables offered books, artwork, crafts, figurines from gargoyles to fairies, clothes from the medieval look to hippie tie-dyes, and services from jewelry-making to custom incense and tarot card readings.

Taking breaks from selling stained glass in shapes like pentagrams and peace symbols, John and Diane Richardson of "A Touch of Glass" in Tobyhanna, Pa., also found time to browse, visit and attend workshops.

"This is just beautiful," he said of the nice weather. "Last year, it was just steamy, drip, drip, drip."

For Dave and Kelly Sheppard of Dover, the perfect purchase was a handmade broom -- and a decision to have a hand-fasting ceremony with White and others at the festival.

Although married 7 1/2 years, they decided to unite as Wiccans do, in a ceremony that includes crossing a broom with their wrists tied by a slim cord.

"We thought about it for a long time, and we thought all our friends are here, so we might as well," Kelly said, looking at her husband, who smiled and said he expects the unifying ceremony of their faith "will only make our marriage better."

Copyright: The News Journal