Heathens, Pagans and Witches discussion

Megalithica Books, an imprint of Immanion Press (Stafford, U.K./Portland, OR, U.S.A) is seeking submissions for an anthology on people of color working in magical communities. This anthology will be an opportunity to get the voices and experiences of minorities within the Pagan community out to the world and address some of the challenges, stereotyping, frustrations and the beauty of being different within the racial construct of typical Pagan or Wiccan groups. These communities include (but are not limited to) groups and individuals working in Wicca, Voodoo, Umbanda, Shaman, and other Pagan paths.

Many of the roots of Paganism have come from the lands of people of color yet the mainstreaming of Wicca has elevated images of worship and deity that connect with Celtic, Greek or Roman cultures. This can have an exclusive effect on those who’s culture or ancestry fall outside of those categories. Interestingly enough people of color within Paganism are often walking between the worlds of their birth ancestry and culture and that of their spiritual culture. This anthology is an opportunity to share your stories and experiences with others around being a minority in our spiritual community.

Here are some suggested topics to give you an idea of the focus of this anthology.


• Your experience of integration into the Pagan community

• Magical work

• Ancestor work

• Integrating your birth culture with your spiritual workings

• Personal experiences and thoughts around how being of color within the Pagan community was significant.

• What magical work are you doing now? How do you describe it? Do you work alone, in a group, or in several settings?

• Your birth culture and spiritual workings

• Stereotypes and prejudice

• Being the only person of color in a coven, group or community

• Sharing your culture and history with other Pagans

• Cultural history

• Sub-culture of African Americans, Hispanics or other minority groups within Wicca or Paganism.

• Is there a sense of acceptance within the magical community you work in? Do you encounter resistance in your magical community or acceptance?

• What do you feel is needed to be more inclusive of racial diversity in Pagan communities


Rough drafts are due July 15, 2010. These drafts will be edited in a back-and-forth process with the editor. Essays should be 1500-4000 words, although if your work falls outside those limits, do submit it – we can discuss this during the editing process. Drop us an email if you are unsure whether your idea fits into the content. The sooner you start the communication process the better, as after the deadline we won’t be considering additional ideas.

Essay requirements:

• Citations for all quoted, paraphrased, or otherwise unoriginal material
• Bibliography of works cited
• Prefer APA format

Do write in your voice! If you’re academically inclined or trained, feel free to be as intelligent and technical as you like. If your work entirely talks in the first person about your own experience, please include this also. There is a wide range of voices, and we are interested in being as inclusive of style as possible.

Accepted contributors will receive a free copy of the anthology when it is published and additional copies sold at 40% off the cover price to contributors. All contributors will be provided with a contract upon final acceptance of their essays, not when they are accepted for editing. If your essay is not accepted for the anthology, we will tell you after the first round of edits.

The anthology will be edited by Crystal Blanton. She is the author of an upcoming pagan/occult
nonfiction book called Bridging the Gap; Working Within the Dynamics of Pagan Groups and Society. She may be found online at http://www.crystalblanton.com and her email address for this anthology is [email protected].

Immanion Press is a small independent press based in the United Kingdom. Founded by author Storm Constantine, it expanded into occult nonfiction in 2004 with the publication of Taylor Ellwood’s Pop Culture Magick. Today, Immanion’s nonfiction line, under the Megalithica Books imprint, has a
growing reputation for edgy, experimental texts on primarily intermediate and advanced pagan and occult topics. Find out more at ImmanionPress.

Oh, that is interesting! I am going to forward your posting to my friend Godfrey; he might be interested in participating.

Please post it to any pagan/witchy boards of which you are a member and all friends. The more the merrier it seems.

I know the whole issue of racial labeling is a minefield but I find the term 'people of colour' to be a little exclusive. It implies that people like myself are colourless. As a contributor to Urban Dictionary puts it ' I prefer to think that I have some amount (of) pigmentation in my skin, thank you very much'.

I don't think so. There is a distinction between caucasion. People of European descent. And all others black, African, aisian, native, east Indian, phillipino, jamacan (sorry for any not included) all have color much more pronounced than caucasian. The point is the majority of pagan books are from the Celtic, druid, Germanic, European. Cultures. The poster is looking for other aboriginal pagan classified information

You don't think I have any pigmentation in my skin? I'm sure I do.

And is there really such a clear distinction between those 'of colour' and those not 'of colour'?. What about those of mixed race? Are they people of colour or not? What shade of pigmentation counts as colour. If I sun myself on a beach for a summer would I then qualify?

I am aware of the point of the advert and have no issue with that but I'm just not so sure about the colour label itself (it's ironic because I was once chastised as a young boy for referring to someone as coloured. He informed me in no uncertain terms that he was black. How fashions change, hey?)

I'm not really 'white' either but at least that term doesn't imply I am lacking in something which could, in some cases, lead to discrimination. In fact I'm sure there is a culture which has recently been exposed as victimising albinos whom they call 'ghosts'?

Well when figure out the pc way to discern between races let us all know. I just got back from the region V office of minority health conference. Iwas shocked to hear comments like wow there's alot of black people here. And what about us (insert subcatagory) aisians or whatever. Even general categories of race want to be subdivided out. As native Americans we were the minority of the minorities.

A good start would be to leave colour out of it altogether, I think. Nowadays people seem to confuse race, colour, culture, religion and substitute one for the other according to their current agenda.

You may think I am being pedantic (and since I am not REALLY offended, I suppose I am) but if I was to say that I have been deliberately excluded from contributing to the above publication because of my (lack of) colour, you couldn't argue against it, could you? Ask for minority voices, fine, but maybe keep colour out of it.

Like I said, racial labeling is a minefield

Well. Think of it this way. This website is worldwide so asking for people of minority will not work depending what country one is from. I gues they could ask for all pagans not of european descent?

Mod hat on:

I would be grateful if anyone who has a complaint/criticism in relation to this advertisement voices that concern directly to the writer, at [email protected]

I agree Lavender - sounds much better.

No worries, Ancestral. 'twas just a 'food for thought' kind of thing really.