Event Category: Folklore

Levitation, Seances, Ouija Boards, and Other Kinds of Dark Play – Professor Elizabeth Tucker

Dark Play

Not everyone is willing to take a close look at dark play, a genre that is meaningful for many adolescents and adults but worrisome for parents and teachers. Levitation, seances, “Bloody Mary,” Ouija boards, and the Charlie Charlie Challenge offer opportunities to explore the supernatural and to challenge oneself to overcome fear. Folklorists who have studied dark play include Iona and Peter Opie, Linda Dégh, Bill Ellis, and myself. Both folklorists and medical researchers have published articles about breath-control games, which can be extremely dangerous. Stories about Ouija board experiences explain amazing results that seem unlikely to have occurred without supernatural intervention. Levitation rituals, first recorded in the diary of Samuel Pepys, have taken various forms. Now that YouTube lets us watch young people’s self-generated performances of dark play, we can see the international transmission of this kind of folklore. YouTube has restrictions on dangerous content, but new kinds of videos are always popping up. For example, dangerous challenges for young people continue to take different forms. The Tide Pod Challenge, Cinnamon Challenge, and other variants are entertaining but may be lethal. Although the childhood underground of dangerous, challenging play tends not to be shared with adults, folklorists’ and physicians’ research and YouTube performances make it possible to gain insight into this significant kind of behavior.

Bio

Libby Tucker, Distinguished Service Professor of English at Binghamton University in New York, specializes in folklore of children and adolescents as well as folklore of the supernatural. She enjoyed levitation, séances, and Ouija boards so much as a teenager that she is still studying dark play now. Her six books include Haunted Halls: Ghostlore of American College Campuses (2007) and Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook (2018, co-edited with Lynne S. McNeill. She studied with Linda Dégh at Indiana University and was happy to receive the Linda Dégh Lifetime Achievement Award for Legend Scholarship from the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research last summer.

Curated & Hosted by

Marguerite Johnson is a cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, specialising in sexuality and gender, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus, and Ovid, as well as magical traditions in Greece, Rome, and the Near East. She also researches Classical Reception Studies, with a regular focus on Australia. In addition to ancient world studies, Marguerite is interested in sexual histories in modernity as well as magic in the west more broadly, especially the practices and art of Australian witch, Rosaleen Norton. She is Honorary Professor of Classics and Ancient History at The University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

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All Hallow’s Eve and the Scandinavian Witches Tradition – Lena Heide-Brennand – Zoom

All Hallow’s Eve and the Scandinavian Witches Tradition

Join us for a chill-spining and fascinating historic journey into the mystical world of Scandinavian folklore and ancient witchcraft with the Norwegian historian and folklorist Lena. In this spellbinding lecture, we’ll delve into the rich magical traditions surrounding All Hallow’s Eve or the old Norse Àlfablòt. We will be exploring its connections to the dark and fascinating Völvas- the witchcraft legends of the North. From eerie tales of powerful shamans and spirit worlds to the ancient rituals that shaped the Viking culture Lena will talk about all the mysteries of how these Scandinavian traditions have influenced modern Halloween. Discover the hidden lore of witches and enchanted spells and prepare to be surprised about the magical practices that still echo through the forests and fjords of Scandinavia today..

Bio:

Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience

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The Almanac of an Australian Cunning Man – Dr David Waldron

The Almanac of an Australian Cunning Man

This talk explores the fragmentary records of Cunning men and Women in colonial Australia with a focus on the surviving records of charms, curses, and magical cures in the 1840s almanac of Tasmanian publican William Allison recording the practices of Tasmanian Cunning man, Benjamin Noakes.

Bio

Dr David Waldron is a Senior Lecturer in History at Federation University Australia with a research focus on folklore and community heritage. He is the author of “Sign of the Witch: Modernity and the Pagan Revival” (Carolina Academic Press 2008), “Shock! The Black Dog of Bungay – a Case Study in Local Folklore” (Hidden Press 2010) and “Snarls from the Tea-Tree: Victoria’s Big Cat Folklore” (Australian Scholarly Publishing 2013), editor/contributor of “Goldfields and the Gothic: a Hidden Heritage and Folklore” (Australian Scholarly Publishing 2016) and author of “Aradale: the Making of a Haunted Asylum (Australian Scholarly Publishing 2020). He is regularly involved in public engagements, festivals, and multi-media displays, including the Ballarat Heritage Festival, and is the co-writer and researcher for the 2019 National Trust of Australia People’s Choice award and 2023 Victorian Community History Award-winning podcast series “Tales from Rat City”

Curated & Hosted by

Marguerite Johnson is a cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, specialising in sexuality and gender, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus, and Ovid, as well as magical traditions in Greece, Rome, and the Near East. She also researches Classical Reception Studies, with a regular focus on Australia. In addition to ancient world studies, Marguerite is interested in sexual histories in modernity as well as magic in the west more broadly, especially the practices and art of Australian witch, Rosaleen Norton. She is Honorary Professor of Classics and Ancient History at The University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

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The History of Tarot – Lena Heide Brennand

The History of Tarot – Lena Heide Brennand

Have you ever wondered about the origin and the history behind the Tarot cards? Join us for an enlightening talk on the origin and history of Tarot, where we go on a fascinating journey of these mystical cards from their medieval beginnings to their modern-day significance.

Explore the Tarot’s mysterious roots in 15th-century Europe, uncover the rich symbolism embedded within the cards and learn how Tarot has evolved over centuries, influencing and reflecting cultural, spiritual, and psychological landscapes. Whether you’re a reader or just find it historically interesting this online talk will provide an illustrated and entertaining overview of Tarot’s intriguing past and its neverending allure.

Bio:

Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day

 

Halloween Folklore and Ghost Stories – Brice Stratford – Zoom

Halloween Folklore and Ghost Stories

Halloween. The night when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. When ghosts walk and corpses writhe, and innocent souls had best beware.

Let award winning storyteller Brice Stratford take you on a wild and witchy ride, fascinating and unnerving in equal measure, through the twists and turns of Allhallowstide, and the forgotten history of Halloween and the wider Hallowmas season.  With ghost stories, ancestor worship, bone fires, otherworld pixies, Pagan belief and archaic, Christian mythology along the way, Stratford shares for the first time the deeper tales and stranger lore that lurk beneath the tricks and treats we know so well, and the ancient flame that keeps the Jack O’Lantern lit.  Light the candles, lock the doors, and prepare to be unsettled. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let’s begin.

Bio

Brice Stratford is an actor, storyteller, theatre director, folklorist, historian and former stuntman. Born and raised in the New Forest, he’s a regular fixture at folk, fringe and fright events across the country with his award-winning theatre company, the Owle Schreame. He currently sits on the board of the New Forest National Park Authority, and writes regularly on culture, heritage, architecture and the arts for a range of periodicals. In 2024 he launched the Finding Folklore podcast, an expansive storytelling and research project designed to unearth the hidden lore beneath the humdrum veneer of modern England. This talk accompanies the release of Brice’s third book on mythology and folklore, Halloween Folklore and Ghost Stories.

Curated & Hosted by

Marguerite Johnson is a cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, specialising in sexuality and gender, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus, and Ovid, as well as magical traditions in Greece, Rome, and the Near East. She also researches Classical Reception Studies, with a regular focus on Australia. In addition to ancient world studies, Marguerite is interested in sexual histories in modernity as well as magic in the west more broadly, especially the practices and art of Australian witch, Rosaleen Norton. She is Honorary Professor of Classics and Ancient History at The University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day

A Guide to Medieval Illustrations – Lena Heide-Brennand

A Guide to Medieval Illustrations

Come and Dive into the vivid world of medieval illustrations in this captivating lecture that will transport you back to the age of chivalry, illuminated manuscripts, and mystical symbolism. Join us as we unravel the secrets behind the vibrant images that adorned religious texts, royal decrees, and poetic sagas. Explore the whimsical depictions of cats and the formidable dragons that breathe life into the pages, alongside rich portrayals of everyday medieval life. Discover the techniques, cultural influences, and hidden meanings embedded within these timeless works of art. Perfect for art enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious minds alike, this journey through medieval imagery promises to enlighten and inspire. Don’t miss this chance to see the Middle Ages through the eyes of its most brilliant illustrators!

Bio:

Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day

Cunning Folk, Life in The Age of Practical Magic – Dr Tabitha Stanmore – Zoom

Cunning Folk, Life in The Age of Practical Magic – Dr Tabitha Stanmore

In this talk, based on her book, Tabitha Stanmore transports us to a time when magic was used to navigate life’s challenges and solve problems of both trivial and deadly importance.

It’s 1600 and you’ve lost your precious silver spoons, or maybe they’ve been stolen. Perhaps your child has a fever. Or you’re facing trial. Maybe you’re looking for love or escaping a husband. What do you do?

In medieval and early modern Europe, your first port of call might have been cunning folk: practitioners of ‘service magic’. Neither feared (like witches), nor venerated (like saints), these people were essential: a ubiquitous presence at a time when the supernatural was surprisingly mundane and a cherished everyday resource.

We meet lovelorn widows, selfless healers and renegade monks; we listen in on Queen Elizabeth I’s astrology readings and track treasure hunters who try to keep peace with fairies. Much like us, premodern people lived in bewildering times, buffeted by forces beyond their control – and their faith in magic has much to teach us about how we accommodate ourselves to the irrational in our allegedly enlightened lives today.

Charming in every sense of the word, Cunning Folk is an immersive reconstruction of a bygone world and a thought-provoking commentary on the beauty and bafflement of being human.

Speaker bio

Dr. Tabitha Stanmore is a postdoctoral researcher on the Leverhulme-funded Seven County Witch Hunt Project, investigating the people affected by the 1640s witch trials in eastern England. The aim of this project is to return the identities and stories of the accused (and their accusers) to their communities.

She is a specialist in English magic and witchcraft between the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, and particularly interested in the role that the supernatural played in everyday life, culture and politics. Her doctoral research explored the use of ‘service’ magic – practical spells sold by professional magicians – in premodern England.

Her first monograph, Love Spells and Lost Treasure: Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern period, was published by Cambridge University Press in December 2022 and Cunning Folk: Life in the age of practical magicwas published in spring 2024 with The Bodley Head.

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The Witches of St. Osyth: Persecution, Betrayal and Murder in Elizabethan England – Prof Marion Gibson

The Witches of St. Osyth: Persecution, Betrayal and Murder in Elizabethan England

Prof Marion Gibson will discuss her recent book – an emotive, haunting story of a community torn apart, the Essex witch accusations and trial of 1581-2 are, taken together, one of the pivotal instances of that malign and destructive wave of misogynistic persecution which periodically broke over early modern England. Yet, for all their importance in the overall study of witchcraft, the so-called witches of St Osyth have largely been overlooked by scholars. Marion Gibson now sets right that neglect. Using fresh archival sources – and investigating not just the village itself, but also its neighbouring Elizabethan hamlets and habitations – the speaker offers revelatory new insights into the sixteen women and one man accused of sorcery while asking wider, provocative questions about the way history is recollected and interpreted. Combining landscape detective work, a reconstruction of lost spaces and authoritative readings of crucial documents, Gibson skilfully unlocks the poignant personal histories of those denied the chance to speak for themselves.

An emotive, haunting story of a community torn apart, the Essex witch accusations and trial of 1581-2 are, taken together, one of the pivotal instances of that malign and destructive wave of misogynistic persecution which periodically broke over early modern England. Yet, for all their importance in the overall study of witchcraft, the so-called witches of St Osyth have largely been overlooked by scholars.

Speaker Bio

Marion Gibson now sets right that neglect. Using fresh archival sources – and investigating not just the village itself, but also its neighbouring Elizabethan hamlets and habitations – the author offers revelatory new insights into the sixteen women and one man accused of sorcery while asking wider, provocative questions about the way history is recollected and interpreted. Combining landscape detective work, a reconstruction of lost spaces and authoritative readings of crucial documents, Gibson skilfully unlocks the poignant personal histories of those denied the chance to speak for themselves

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day

Witchcraft History in 13 Trials – Professor Marion Gibson – Zoom

Witchcraft History in 13 Trials

Salem, King James VI, Malleus Maleficarum. The world of witch hunts and witch trials sounds antiquated, relics of an unenlightened and brutal age. However, ‘witch hunt’ is heard often in the present-day media, and the misogyny it is rooted in is all too familiar today. A woman was prosecuted under the 1735 Witchcraft Act as recently as 1944.

Drawing on her recent book using thirteen significant trials to explore the history of witchcraft and witch hunts. As well as investigating some of the most famous trials from the middle ages to the 18th century, it takes us in new and surprising directions. It shows us how witchcraft was decriminalised in the 18th century, only to be reimagined by the 1780s Romantic radicals. We will learn how it evolved from being seen as a threat to Christianity to perceived as gendered persecution, and how trials against chieftains in Africa stoked anger against colonial rule.

Significantly, the the talk tells the stories of the victims – women, such as Helena Scheuberin and Joan Wright – whose stories have too often been overshadowed by those of the powerful men, such as King James VI and I and “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins, who hounded them.

While this will be a history of witchcraft, the subject cannot be consigned to the history books. Hundreds of people, mostly women, are tried and killed as witches every year in Africa. ‘WITCH HUNT!’ is as common in our language today as ever it was, and witches are still on trial across the world

Speaker Bio

Marion Gibson is Professor of Renaissance and Magical Literatures at the University of Exeter, UK. She is the author of nine books on witches in history and literature: The Witches of St Osyth (2022) and previously Reading Witchcraft; Possession, Puritanism, and Print; Witchcraft Myths in American Culture; Imagining the Pagan Past; Rediscovering Renaissance Witchcraft; Witchcraft: The Basics and, with Jo Esra, Shakespeare’s Demonology. Marion has also edited five books for publishers such as Routledge and Ashgate, and published around twenty chapters and articles. Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials is her most recent work.

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Following Lilith – tracking a demoness through time – Dr Sarah Clegg

Following Lilith – tracking a demoness through time

The monstrous Lilith has some popularity in the modern day, both as a demoness appearing in literature, TV and film, and as a feminist symbol. In most modern tellings of her story, she is the first wife of Adam, cast out of paradise when she refused to have sex with her husband, and is often represented as a seductive, child-killing creature. But where does Lilith come from? Tracing her back for over 4000 years, this talk will examine her origins in the child- and mother-killing demoness Lamashtu from ancient Mesopotamia, and Lamashtu’s contemporary, a rather sad species of virgin ghost called Lilitu. It will follow her through Aramaic incantation bowls, kabbalist literature, Christian folklore and Victorian art, looking not just at how she’s changed over the millennia, but what drove those changes – how she combined with cultures, movements and interests to become the monster (and feminist figure) that she is today.

Bio

Sarah Clegg has a PhD in ancient history from Cambridge University; she was part of the 2020/21 London Library Emerging Writers Programme. Her first book — Woman’s Lore: 4,000 Years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi — was published by Head of Zeus and traces a group of seductive, child-snatching demonesses through folklore from ancient Mesopotamian to the present day. It was shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown Award 2023.

Curated & Hosted by

Marguerite Johnson is a cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, specialising in sexuality and gender, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus, and Ovid, as well as magical traditions in Greece, Rome, and the Near East. She also researches Classical Reception Studies, with a regular focus on Australia. In addition to ancient world studies, Marguerite is interested in sexual histories in modernity as well as magic in the west more broadly, especially the practices and art of Australian witch, Rosaleen Norton. She is Honorary Professor of Classics and Ancient History at The University of Queensland, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day