Yesterday was a magical day for me. It felt like a day in the making for centuries, deep down inside me.
I recently came out as a witch and was excited as yesterday’s event unfolded and came to fruition.
About a month ago, one of my friends and belly dance students, Emily, told me about an event sponsored by the Solomon Wright Library in North Pownal, VT, where Emily is the events coordinator.
The event was called a “Witches’ Walk” in remembrance of Vermont’s only witch trial on the eve of the Fall Equinox. It happened, you guessed it, in North Pownal, VT.
It was believed that Widow Krieger was a witch, and she was tried as such in 1785. After finding her fate, she was dropped into a nearby ice-topped river.
The people believed that if she was a witch, she would float, and if she sank, she would be innocent.
Of course, she sank like anyone else, but she was saved and lived for another five years.
She was accused of being a witch after her husband passed away because she was different. Wow, right?
I’m very different and left wondering how long it would have taken them to put me on trial. Good thing I would have sank too. 😂
When Emily told me about the witch walk, I was already working on my Halloween “costume,” which turned out to be my formal witch attire since I already owned everything except for my hat.
I was excited to finally dress the part of my recent coming out. The outfit put itself together.
The hat I picked up for a couple of dollars and let my creativity happen. I ended up choosing dried flowers and seed pods from my gardens.
For my formal attire, I wanted a Victorian look, so I used one of my skirts from my costuming, which bustled in the back.
My dance partner, Kathleen, and I came partially dressed to our regular Saturday dance practice before the witch walk.
We arrived just in time. We were both surprised by how many people were participating in the walk.
There were so many types of witch outfits, including many little girls who looked adorable.
A tale of the trial was read and the group walked across a bridge where the widow Kieger was dropped into the water below.
Afterward, Kathleen, my friend and dance student Mary, and Emily, the events coordinator, danced to a slow song called “A Witches Song.”
The music brought the four of us together in a way that didn’t happen often. We didn’t just feel the music, we were the vessel of the music.
This was when I knew after centuries of waiting, the time had finally come for us to dance together again as witches.
I’m sure you may not know what to think about that, but when I say I am very different, I am. Believe me.
Maria’s husband and my sweet friend Jon Katz, also my writing mentor, took some amazing photos of us at the event.
Jon captured the very essence of what unfolded and how we felt. Definitely, how I was feeling at the time.
I took some traditional selfies at the event like usual.
People were moved by our performance all saying how they could feel our dancing and noticed how in-tune we were with each other.
I’m not sure yesterday’s performance and walk could ever be topped, I just know I was so glad and grateful to be a part of it.
This is awesome!