Witches as “compassionate and thoughtful Earth protectors and healers.”
Shared from our friends at the Hawthorne Family Playschool of Portland, Oregon (November 2019).
This is their story.
Given our commitment to anti-bias education, we consider the messages young children receive from media, images, and stories. We think about which ones affirm our full humanity and which ones oppress us.
Halloween is a time for many to play and pretend about what is scary. During this time, we encounter the cartoonish stereotype of witches as dangerous, evil, green-skinned, warty spinsters.
In an effort to combat that stereotype, and to encourage a message of female empowerment along with the transformative power of being in tune with our sacred Earth, I invited Hawthorne Family Preschool alumni parent, Hailey, and her friend Sunshine [Rose Claymore, an Earth Activist Training teacher]–both self-identified witches– to join us for circle.
Kimberly, one of our teaching assistants, shared:
“It was a fabulous opportunity to begin to flip the patriarchal script on the traditional ideology that witches are inherently ‘bad, green skinned spell casters, ‘interrupting a common and oppressive association of thought on women as a whole.
With special focus on honoring the Earth through pictures, the beauty of music, stones, and plant medicines the children were invited to explore different ideas of what a witch can be, we begin to redirect ideas of the ‘evil witch’ to that of compassionate and thoughtful earth protectors and healers.“
We sang Bonnie Lockheart’s, “Who Were the Witches?,” a song revering witches as knowledgeable, powerful healers and caregivers who suffered misunderstandings, targeting, and oppression.
[Note: We regret that this video depicts witches as cisgender white women. We searched, but did not find, an adequate alternative that truly honors the words of the song. Should you find or create one, faithful reader, please share it with us]
Lyrics:
“Who were the witches? Where did they come from? Maybe your great-great grandmother was one.
Witches were wise, wise women they say. And there’s a little witch in every[body] today.
Witches knew all about flowers and trees, how to use all the roots and barks and the leaves.
When people grew weary from hard-workin’ days. Witches made them feel better in so many ways.
When women had babies, the witches were there. To feed them and help them and give them some care. Witches knew stories of how life began.
Don’t you wish you could be one? Well, maybe you can.
Some people thought that the witches were bad. Some people were scared of the power they had. The power to heal and to help and to care–isn’t something to fear. It’s a treasure to share.”
Real and Pretend: What Have We Learned?
Lastly, we spoke about the difference between real and pretend things that might be perceived as scary. The teacher speaks to the children about Hailey and Sunshine’s visit and reiterates what they shared: “Witches love and protect the Earth.”
As we prepare to sing the chorus of “Who Were the Witches,” I ask children a series of questions and am met with a chorus of “No’s!”
“Do witches really have green skin?” Children: “No!”
“Do witches really cast evil spells?” Children: “No!
“Are real witches like Hailey and Sunshine scary?” Children: ” No!”
Yep. Real witches aren’t really scary.
Originally published by the Hawthorne Familiy Preschool in Portland, Oregon: “Real Witches Aren’t Scary,” November 2019 (source).