1/26/2024: Initial Perceptions– What’s A Witch?

Welcome to Kyla’s Witchy Blog! I am excited to document my learning experiences this semester and keep them in a place that I can look back on in the future. I am sure I will find this blog decades from now and smile about the time I took a class on witchcraft and magic… how cool!


To begin, I would like to discuss my current perceptions of witchcraft and magic so I can compare them to my newfound knowledge at the end of the semester. My perspective has already begun to shift after reading A History of Magic, Witchcraft, & The Occult and I look forward to seeing how it continues to evolve.


Much of my knowledge of witches and magic comes from fictional stories and childhood movies. From The Wizard of Oz to Hocus Pocus, I have always seen witches as evil, bitter, and lonely antagonists. I picture an older woman with a pointy hat, green skin, and a broomstick. In my head, these magical beings only exist in a fictional wonderland– not in real life. This makes me think– what truly is a witch? It seems as though the definition and depiction of witches vary greatly when comparing history to modern media depictions. Here are a few interesting definitions that we discussed / I found online:


“A person (especially a woman) who is credited with having usually malignant supernatural powers”

“Wise women with knowledge of healing, herbs, childbirth, and the spirit world who sometimes used spells for good or evil”

“Women thought to have gained dark powers from pacts with the devil in exchange for their souls."


Moreover, after reading it freshman year in a TCU literature class, The Crucible has opened my eyes to the true history of witchcraft and has allowed me to wrap my head around the fact that these “fictional” stories are not so fictional. I found myself fascinated with the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials and eager to learn more about these seemingly outlandish accusations. With minimal historical background on witchcraft and occult practices, reading The Crucible led me to believe that witchcraft was only a Salem phenomenon. However, after reading the first section of A History of Magic, Witchcraft, & The Occult, this belief was already proved wrong, as I learned that these practices have occurred across the world since practically the beginning of time.


I was both intrigued and appalled to learn about the current-day witchhunts that occur in African countries like Ghana, Tanzania, and Papa New Guinea. Page 181 of A History of Magic, Witchcraft, & The Occult explains how poor, elderly widows who are seen as “burdens” to society are often accused of witchcraft to settle scores between divided villages. Like in the Kukuo witch camp in Ghana, accused women are forced to live in enforced, monitored homes. (see photo below) 

Finally, from a Catholic perspective, I have also typically viewed witchcraft and magic in a negative, anti-Christian light. I was raised to believe that an all-powerful God can heal me, protect me, and control my fate. Thus, I do not rely on other spiritual or supernatural practices to help me. However, I am aware that many magic practices stem from and are intertwined with Christianity, so I am curious to learn more about this connection through our readings and discussions.

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