We're the coven that makes stuff

On thing that distinguishes my coven from some others is that we're always making things. It seems we are seldom closer than when we're gathered around the table sewing, decoupaging stuff, carving pumpkins, carving gourds or . . . .

This year we made a new altar cloth for Samhain. In our tradition the altar is always on the ground in the center of the circle because we are non-hierarchical and we like having the altar as a central visual focus. And increasingly the altar is very simple, as we let fabric and clear votives provide the focus.

I saw a pattern for a small wall hanging in one of the quilting magazines. The pattern started with a snail's trail block that evolved into four intertwined witches' hats. I liked it right away, and thought it would be fun to make that a key element in our altar cloth.

At our Samhain celebration, we always remember those who have come before us who were persecuted and killed for being witches. So often these people--mainly women--were tried and killed on trumped-up charges because they were maybe mentally ill, were just plain uppity and cranky women, possessed property someone coveted, or had children or neighbors who wanted them out of the way. Yes, some were also healers and midwives, and had religious/cultural practices that were at odds with the patriarchal power structure. But for the most part, they were people who were unpopular and that somebody in power thought threatend the prevailing civil and religious order.

We read some of their names aloud and are always surprised every year that the burning times continue and some witches died only in the past year or two, in parts of the world that are still governed by fear and superstition.

So, to get back to the altar cloth, we decided to make the faces all different colors, to represent the fact that women all over the planet have been persecuted and should be remembered. I made one of the witches with a green face to represent Elphaba, the heroine in Wicked, who went on to become the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Yes, Elphaba is fictional, but she stands in for those who mainstream society rejects, and calls too strange to be accepted.

The four blocks are bordered with dancing--and flying--witches, 13 on each side. We saw a fabric in a catalogue that contained these images, but no matter where we looked, we couldn't find it in stock. So we made our own little witches, and my coven sister Meg cut out every single one of them. LInda and Julie helped trace them onto WonderUnder, with which we've created more than one spell or two over the years.

Here's the whole altar cloth. And I'm planning to take it in and have it quilted so it will be more stable and hold up better over the years.

 

The witches have decidedly different facial expressions, including one who's downright crabby. 

 
And here you can see some of the little witches. They dance around all four corners of the altar cloth.

 

The other thing we do every year for Samhain is decorate candles for the Dia de los Muertos altar we set up out on my patio. Some of the candles are decorated with a variety of muertos images, while others have photos of family or friends or public figures we admire who died in the past year. This year I made a candle for my friend John Dauns and another for my Aunt Bertha Tjerandsen Slind. I also made candles for Teddy Kennedy and Walter Cronkite. Others made them for parents or grandparents, or even beloved pets.

Here's what the altar--ofrenda-- looks like in the daytime. It has big bouquets of marigolds (cempazuchitl) that are traditional for Dia de los Muertos altars. And on the ground to the right of the largest vase of flowers is the incense burner from which clouds of copal smoke rise during the day.

 

And here's a detail that shows some of the candles close up. That's John's up on the top with the red heart, with Ted Kennedy's candle at the left top. Down one shelf is a candle with a photo of Aunt Bertha and Uncle Ole (we honored him last year as he died just before Samhain 2008, but it was inconceivable to use a photo of Aunt Bertha without including her husband of 68 years), and Walter Cronkite. You can also see some of the little muertos figures I've made over the years.

Here are two life-sized wall hangings that have become part of the altar of the years, La Catrina dancing and Senor playing the guitar. They both have some anatomical issues, but after all, they're muertos . . . .

And here's the altar at night. It will come down tomorrow night, something I always hate to do, for I love to walk out onto the patio and see the glowing candles, and smell the marigolds and copal.

 

In this detail shot you can see La Sirena (the mermaid), the muertos bridal couple, and a tiny figure that's meant to be Frida Kahlo. And on the shelf below that, La Catrina, complete with a little fur stole.

 

All in all, it's been a wonderful Samhain season for me, and for the coven. Our Friday night ritual here was solemn and beautiful, and we were pleased to have four new friends join us for the evening. Saturday night we danced under the almost full moon on a mountain top, and called the names of the Beloved Dead to join us in our dance.  Next weekend some of us will go be part of the Besom Brigade, the all-witch precision drill team, which will make and appearance at the Pagan Alliance's Children's Samhain event.

When you get to my age, your personal list of Beloved Dead grows longer and longer. I think on some levels, I'd be awash with grief if I didn't have the chance to get together with my coven sisters and make things that added to our celebration, and provided us with special ways to remember those who have crossed the rainbow bridge into Summerland.

Comments

[nicole]

Ooooh! Lovely! I want to come next year. Can I, please???? The cloth, the candles, your courtyard all decked out... I love it! Happy Dia de los Muertos.

[Victoria Slind-Flor]

But of course, Nicole. The only problem is that for moms with kids, trick-or-treating sometimes trumps ritual attendance. You may have a few more years of celebrating kids' Halloween ahead.

[Mark Folse]

A beautiful altar. And while I formally observe neither side of the day (the one I was raised to or Samhain) John was in my thoughts Friday night as I sat with a cigar and a glass of rum and gave some time and attention to those who have passed.

[Hollyheartfree]

VS-F, I do so enjoy your posts, and the pictures. The altar quilt is great!

And I certainly understand the feeling of overwhelming grief that befalls us elder women, and the need we have for our own group of 'sisters'.

Blessings to you and yours.
H

[Linda Moran]

Love the celebration - another true celebration to move away from "Hallowe'en" and candy - which is all my students are concerned about...