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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1985)
80 Neo-pagan witches practice ‘craft’ in Eugene, speaker says By Andrew LaMar Of tlw Kmerald There are witches In Eugene, Not just the types that show up at door steps on Halloween night begging for candy, but ac tual people who practice their "craft'* on a regular basis, Linda jencson, a University doctorate student in cultural an thropolgy knows such witches. In fact, lencson did her master's thesis on witchcraft during which time she surveyed 144 self-proclaimed witches. lencson spent part of her Halloween day speaking on neo-pagan witchcraft as part of the University Museum of Natural History's lecture series. While writing her master's thesis. Jencson used an an Linda (encsnn Dead will be honored on Dia De Las Muertos I.atin American folk music and a speaker will highlight the fourth annual Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration Saturday night from 7 to 9 in the EMU Forum Room. The event, which is free to the public, is sponsored by MECha to honor those who have died. In Mexico, as in other parts of Latin America and the world, special calendrical days are set aside to honor the dead on an annual basis. This observance, which dates from pre-Columbian times, has become known as the Day of the Dead or El Dia de los Muertos. While it is an occasion to honor those who have died, the observance also focuses on the cyclical conception of fertility and life for the future. Sandunga. a six-member acoustic ensemble will perform and lose Angel Gutierrez will speak on “The Myth of Death" at the celebration. tliTopological process known as participant observation, a pro cess that requires participating with the group being studied and asking them questions. Jencson said of the 80 witches in Eugene. most are in their 20s and 30s and three-fourths of them are women, She said a study that surveyed 144 witches found that 66 percent of the wit ches had college degrees and many of the others were pursu ing degrees. jencson said neo-pagan wit ches are a “loose, disorganized, ecclqctic group" prefering to practice alone or in small groups, and although each group has its own variation of practice, most groups form circles to contact their gods and to practice their magic, she said. “I found most of the ceremonies to be quite beautiful., I definitely felt very different in the circle.. .other times I felt nothing.” she said, “I'm kind .of skeptical... but there are things that happened that I ean'tdeny." She said while participating in the witches’ worship she would often get goose bumps, the type of goose bumps she might get while listening to a large choir at a church service, and after some training, she was able to predict the future quite. accurately..1 She said the groups she work ed with did not practice black magic or magic intended to harm or limit people. There “aren't even rumors of satanism in Kugene. ” she said, fine of the fundamental beliefs of the wit ches she worked with is a belief in karma, she said. Halloween is a particularly special day for neo-pagan, wit ches. Jencson said the day is sort of a combination of Memorial Day and New Year's Eve. lending itself tq very im portant ceremonies. She said witches claim their god opens the gates to the underworld on Halloween, allowing them to more easily see the future and perform magic. “Neo-pagan witches will be gathering all over the world (on Halloween) to work their power." she said. Ipncson noted that Eugene has a large number of witches for an area its size and attributes it to Eugene’s atmosphere. “Eugene has a lot of seekers, people leftover from the 1960s looking for meaning outside mainstream society," she said. f CLOSE UP... 1 with jjerlachy CAMPUS SPRINGflHD MSI. I3UI. (51 W Centennial lugene Springfield Cat's Meow Jazz & Blues Jam & Blue*, RcqqAi & Gospel Records Tapes, C.D.'s & Collector's Accessories In tIm Fifrlip* *«t Buildim, Fifrl# & Pear! • Euqene 686-8742 WELCOME BACK STUDENTS 20% OFF HAIRCUTS - Includes shampoo & style Men reg. $10.00 women reg. $15.00 ALL PERMS - Includes haircut a style reg. $40.00 HIGHLIGHTING reg. $35.00 ask about Body Waxing & straight Perms Redken & Aloe Vera Products experienced in Asian Hair caw for appointment rUiK S 484*6623 Hair Design (Expires NOV. SO, 19851 1681 wiHamette Next to Brail's Restaurant I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I .4 ASUO Films present - Jack Lemmon & Sissy Spacek in ■ Sunday November 3 7 & 9pm * ISO Geology • *2 adult / $1 child ii rniipnKi*' THE BEST PIZZA EXPERIENCE IN THE UNIVERSE! Open Sun Thurs. Noon Midnite I-ri & Sat Noon lam 1473 E. 19th 343*8023 (ice cream tooIf M 1473 E 19th 343-8023 1473 E. 19th 343-8023 ng\ g\ f f Any Small or IIII OTT Mcdium Pi*za • \J VF JL M, With One Toppii $2.00 off (not valid with any other offer) § "TWO FREE \ DINNER ! SALADS J With Purchase of Any Size Pizza (not valid with any other offer) j
