Seance with Patti Negri around the Sarcophagus Table

Seance with Patti Negri around the Sarcophagus Table in the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities

Join Patti Negri around the Sarcophagus Table in The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities for a safe and just slightly spooky seance to connect with your loved ones on the other side. As we journey through the veil together, everyone will have a chance to invite in and communicate with their deceased loved ones. It’s a full experience of insight, magic and communicating with the other side. If you have seen Patti do seances on Ghost Adventures or other TV shows and are worried about dark spirits – she promises, none will be allowed – and no one is going home with any (even if you want to). Good, fun, communicative spirits will be the only one permitted!

This will be a very rare and inimate opportunity. Only 8 tickets available! Admission includes private access to the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities and participation in an intimate seance with renowned Psychic-Medium Patti Negri.

Event is suitable for ages 18+ only.

Patti Negri, Psychic-Medium and “Good Witch” is best known for her recurring role on the Travel Channel & Discovery Plus’s #1 show GHOST ADVENTURES and the #1 paranormal show on YouTube TFIL OVERNIGHT with Elton Castee. She is the international bestselling author of OLD WORLD MAGICK FOR THE MODERN WORLD: TIPS, TRICKS, & TECHNIQUES TO BALANCE, EMPOWER, & CREATE A LIFE YOU LOVE. She has a new book coming out from Lewellyn in 2025 called DOLLCRAFT about Haunted Dolls and magical poppets.

Patti’s body of work includes appearances on dozens of shows from Portals To Hell, MASTER CHEF, WipeOut and America’s Got Talent to Influencers, YouTubers and crossover talents like Lilly Singh, LaurDIY, Good Mythical Morning and AwesomenessTV.

She has graced numerous magazine covers, contributed to over 20 books and conducted seances on radio, film, and TV working with such legends as Emma Stone, Jon Voight, Josh Duhamel, Chevy Chase and Gregory Hines.

Patti has a popular award-winning weekly podcast called The Witching Hour and has a second weekly podcast, The Witch’s Movie Coven. Patti is a founding partner and Vice President of Paraflixx.com Streaming Service, and founding partner and educator at UniversityMagickus.com (or magicku.org) an online spirituality and mysticism School.

Hugh Newman on Gobekli Tepe – Zoom

Hugh Newman on Gobekli Tepe

What is the earliest temple complex on Earth? Who built it? Is it really 7000 years older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids. How did such a sophisticated civilisation evade detection for so long? In this groundbreaking talk packed with original research and illustrations, megalithomaniac Hugh Newman tells the story of Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Nevali Çori and other temples in Turkey, which are so old that their very existence challenges history as we know it.

Hugh Newman is an author, documentary maker, world explorer, megal ith researcher, and expedition leader. He is the author of Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe: The World’s First Megaliths (2023), Stone Circles (2017), Earth Grids: The Secret Pattern of Gaia’s Sacred Sites (2008); co-author of Giants On Record: America’s Hidden History, Secrets in the Mounds and the Smithsonian Files (2015) and The Giants of Stonehenge and Ancient Britain with Jim Vieira (2021) and contributed to Megalith: Studies In Stone (2018), Sensing The Earth (2020) and Geomancy (2021). He is published in three ‘Ancient Origins’ e-books. He has been a regular guest on History Channel’s Ancient Aliens, UnXplained, Search for the Lost Giants and has featured in The Alaska Triangle (Travel Channel), Forbidden History (Discovery Channel), Secrets of the Ark (Science Channel), Mythic Britain (Smithsonian Channel), Ancient Civilizations (Gaia), Cursed Treasure (History), In Search of Monsters (History), Mysteries of the Pyramids with Dara O Briain (Channel 5) and Ancient Tomorrow (US) TV Shows. He is a video producer who publishes regular films of his worldwide explorations at www.youtube.com/MegalithomaniaUK.

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

Becoming Monsters – An Online Writing Workshop – Tania De Rozario – Zoom

Becoming Monsters – An Online Writing Workshop

Horror movie monsters often articulate the cultural anxieties of their time. They have the power to reflect, reinforce, and sometimes resist, prevailing notions of gender, morality, justice and beauty. Asking what makes a monster scary often tells us a lot about what society fears.

In this generative workshop, Tania De Rozario shares her love of horror films and feminine monstrosity and will show how, as a queer woman, empathising with female monsters has helped her discover new ways to tell her stories.

This single-session course will focus on helping participants use horror, myth, and monsters to discover news ways to tell their own stories. It will comprise a short warm-up exercise, a 20-minute presentation, 50 minutes of guided writing focusing on persona, and an opportunity to share the writing that was generated during the session. The workshop aims to help participants to generate new ideas, encourage them to discover new ways to tell their own stories and provide them with a fun/meaningful experience.

This class is open to writers of all experience levels, 18 and above. Please note that this session will include mentions of violence, assault and trauma in the context of some of the films that are mentioned. It will also contain still images from horror films that may be distressing for some participants.

Participant Preparation – Participants should be prepared to participate in generative writing exercises during class-time. There is no formal feedback given but participants will have the opportunity to share work generated in class, out loud or in the chat, if there is time and if they desire.

Instructor Bio

Tania De Rozario is an essayist, poet, visual artist and the author of four books. Her work engages with issues of gender, monstrosity, queer identity, home, and notions of belonging. Her latest collection, Dinner on Monster Island, (Harper Perennial, 2024), has been described as “sharp and searing” (Ms. Magazine), “unique” (Publishers Weekly), “a book with resonance” (Kirkus Reviews), “taut and riveting” (LA Times), “a gem of queer literature” (Audiofile), “a book to savor” (Bay Area Reporter), “elegant”, “droll” and “magnetic” (British Columbia Review). Tania’s writing has won the New Ohio Review Nonfiction Contest (2020) and the Muriel Craft Bailey Poetry Contest (2021), has been a finalist at the Lambda Literary Awards (2021) and has been published in journals/anthologies across four continents.

This is a participation workshop only, if you are unable to attend please request a refund as this course will not be recorded

Voodoo in Benin with Dr.Louise Fenton

GONE WITH THE WYND

Expedition XXI

IN SEARCH OF VOODOO IN WEST AFRICA

Cost €2600

For further details or for any questions please contact

Dr Louise Fenton

[email protected]

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN WEST AFRICAN TRADITIONS

AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY THROUGH BENIN IN SEARCH OF VOODOO. EXPERIENCE THIS VIBRANT CULTURE BY VISITING SHRINES, ALTARS, TEMPLES, SACRED AND HISTORIC SITES, PRIESTS AND CEREMONIES.

Join historian and anthropologist, Dr Louise Fenton on our expedition through Benin in search of Voodoo, carvings, masks, contemporary art and mind-blowing food. An extraordinary adventure to see the ‘Cradle of Voodoo’ and to immerse yourself in this amazing culture. This will be our fourth expedition to Benin, and we have built up a network of local guides and contacts that means we hope to be able to get permission to take you to ceremonies, sometimes deep in the bush, as these are not planned far in advance, we may not know what we are going to see until the actual day (there will be no staged ceremonies in hotels).

You will need to come with an open mind and flexible approach to travel. Voodoo, or Vodoun, permeates the very soul of this part of West Africa. Dr Fenton will lead you on a journey to see altars, shrines and temples, you will meet Vodoun Priests and have the adventure of tracking down a ceremony, you will learn about the history and culture of this incredible country through visiting sacred and historic sites. We will visit Ouidah to see the Python Temple, the Sacred Forest, Fetish Market and the final departure point for enslaved people and learn about the complexities of the slave trade. There will be visits to the fetish Vodoun markets in Benin to see the eclectic stalls selling Vodoun implements and animal parts. There will be numerous opportunities to taste the cuisine, dine in some of West Africa’s finest restaurants, buy incredible artefacts, see the art and culture of these countries and to relax and enjoy this amazing journey through Benin.

What you can expect…

When we visit Vodoun Priests we will be walking on sacred sites. The Priests we have now come to know offer us a warm welcome to their altars and shrines and will give a blessing to us on arrival. The blessings usually start with an offering of water followed by an offering of (very strong) alcohol. Dr Fenton and our guide will be on hand to talk you through what is expected of you and what is happening. These are very intimate gatherings to afford you the privilege of meeting the Priests of Vodoun.

Ketou Benin December 27 2014 Gélédé festival in Ketou. This festival is held by the yoruba people in Benin and Nigeria.

There will be an opportunity to meet an Ifa Priest who will give a Fa reading to help with a personal situation. You should never enter these sites with ill-wishes, the Priests are there to help and guide you. A Fa reading is undertaken by the Priest throwing his beads and then reading how they land. He then uses shells, stones and other objects to answer your question. This can be very personal and so we do ask other guests to wait outside, Dr Fenton and our guide will be present to help with understanding what is said. This is followed by a suggested ceremony which costs around €75 – €150 depending on the complexity of the issue. There will be an opportunity for ceremonies to take place later in the week. We usually only have time to provide two readings so if this is something you are considering please let Dr Fenton know prior to travel.

As our contacts and relationships with guides have grown, we are being allowed exclusive access to more ceremonies. These sometimes include small village celebrations. Dr Fenton and the guides will help to explain what is happening and what is expected. We will be entering sacred sites and so shoes must always be removed. These smaller gatherings often involve the Vodoun drummers, the power and energy they exude is incredible. We will meet the Priest who will give us his blessing to be there and then we join in, you may need to dust off those dancing shoes and be ready to show us your best moves!

There are also large village and town ceremonies. These are the ones with the costumes where hundreds of people attend. We are finding we have been given exclusive access to some of the most powerful Vodoun ceremonies, the Kokou and the Egungun. The Kokou ceremony does involve the cutting of skin, however, if we are lucky enough to be invited to any of these ceremonies, Dr Fenton and our guides will explain what is happening, what you need to do and ease any anxieties as these are loud, vibrant, energetic and exhilarating!

Sacrifice is part of Vodoun. The blood from the animal is used for the ceremony as an offering to the deity, it is a life force. The animal is then cooked and shared amongst those gathered, nothing is wasted. We do not sanction sacrifice for the bloodlust of visitors, but we will also not ask for sacrifice to be sanitised for us. Chickens, goats, sheep and cows are used.

This really is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Vodoun.

PROVISIONAL ITINERARY (subject to change due to the occurrence of ceremonies). The locations will be accurate, the visits may change as we need to react to events!

Day / Date

Location / Activity

Day 1

Sat 21st Feb 2026

Flight to Cotonou

(2 nights Cotonou)

· Guests arrive at Cotonou airport and are met by Dr Fenton and our guide just outside the arrival area

· Transfer to hotel

Day 2

Sun 22nd feb

Cotonou / Ganvie

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Change money

· Visit Ganvie stilt village by boat

· Lunch in a restaurant

· Afternoon visits in Cotonou (Ifa Priest for Fa reading, monuments, murals, artefact market)

· Dinner at hotel to meet each other in more relaxed environment

Day 3

Mon 23rd feb

Cotonou / Abomey

(2 nights Abomey)

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Measure up for clothing with tailor

· Visit Dantokpa Market and Cathedral in Cotonou

· Departure to Abomey

· Lunch in a restaurant

· Visit UNESCO heritage site Dahomey Royal Palace / Museum and Centre for Contemporary Art

· Possible Evening Vodoun Ceremony (fee)

Day 4

Tue 24th feb

Abomey

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Visits around Abomey: Vodoun Temples and shrines (Chameleon Church and village)

· Visit to Vodoun Priest in Bush

· Visit Fetish Market

· Lunch in a restaurant

· Afternoon free time to attempt spontaneous ceremonies

· Dinner at local restaurant

Day 5

Wed 25th feb

Abomey / Possotome

(2 nights Possotome)

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Drive to Possotome (possible visits)

· Lunch in stilt restaurant in Possotome

· Afternoon free time to attempt spontaneous Vodoun Ceremony

· Dinner at hotel

Day 6

Thu 26th feb

Possotome / Grand Popo / Possotome

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Boat tour of Lac Aheme

· Visit to Grand Popo, lunch on the Beach

· Visit to local Museum

· Return to Lac Aheme

· Village walk (shrines / cemetery / sacred forest)

· Dinner at hotel

Day 7

Fri 27th feb

Possotome / Ouidah

(2 nights Ouidah)

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Drive to Ouidah

· Visit the Temple de Python and the Sacred Forest (walk to see sculptures and shrines)

· Lunch in local restaurant

· Visit to Slavery Road and Memorials

· Late afternoon free time to attempt spontaneous ceremonies

· Dinner at hotel

Day 8

Sat 28th feb

Ouidah

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Visit to art gallery

· Visit Saveurs du Benin or other local restaurant for lunch

· Back to Fa reader for ceremonies if required / visit to Yoruba King

· Shopping at artefact market

· Late afternoon free time to attempt spontaneous Vodoun Ceremony

· Dinner at hotel

Day 9

Sun 1st March

Ouidah / Cotonou

· Breakfast at the hotel

· Leave Ouidah transfer to Cotonou

· Lunch in a restaurant in Cotonou

· Transfer to the airport END OF SERVICES

INCLUDES

Breakfast
Lunch
Accommodation
Transport
Tour Guide
Tour Leader
Visits
Water

NOT INCLUDED

Dinner
Drinks
Alcoholic drinks
Tips for guide and driver (not mandatory)
Spending money 

For further details or for any questions please contact

Dr Louise Fenton

[email protected]

The Highlands of Papua New Guinea

Gone With The Wynd Expedition Number XXII

Join Viktor Wynd on an Expedition to the remote Highlands of Papua New Guinea, experience life with the local tribes, be immersed in nature and climb Mount Wilhelm

please note the dates have changed from the below to

10th-19th jan

19th-23rd jan

all other details reamin the same

Part One – Mount Hagen & Simbai

12th Jan – 20th january £3600

Part Two – Mount Wilhelm

20th – 24th jan £1500

Prices include all food, accomodation, transport & activities from pick up to drop off at Mount Hagen Airport

Part Three – Beaches & Scuba Diving

Viktor Wynd will be heading to a beautiful island after the trip for a few days relaxing , snorkelling and diving – you are very welcome to join him

To book or for more information please email [email protected]

Day 1 –Monday 12th January 2026

Meet/ greet on arrival in Mt. Hagen and transfer to the lodge. Afternoon leisure time do own exploration at the lodge

After dinner courtship performance with bamboo band music & songs. Local boys and girls in traditional costumes put on courtship performance – Tanim head as it is called in pidgn where young boys and girls try their luck to meet and eventually getting married. They sing love songs sitting next to each other putting their faces together moving forward and back ward while the parents assist them with songs and support them in the courtship. Demonstration of traditional fire making will also be performed, jew sharp playing and bamboo flute as well. The program ends with Traditional songs with guitar and bamboo band.

Our Lodge is set in a natural and lush environment. Based on typical Highland’s architectural design, the lodge perfectly blends into the natural environment and traditional identities of the people living at Paiya village. This would be a magical experience offering facilities that places high emphasis on quality and standards. . It is located at the foot of Mt. Hagen with spectacular views and the chance to see extraordinary birds including Princess Stephanie Bird of Paradise in the garden!.

Day 2 – Tuesday 13th January

. “Full day village study tour”

This day you will tour a few villages for culture/ sing sing performance. B/fast and transfer to Huli wig man village, about 1 : 30 minutes drive from MM Nature lodge. Here you will see Huli wig man putting on the dance with faces painted, head wig, plumes of birds of paradise dress in traditional costumes singing and dancing to the Kundu drum beats. You may ask questions to know their tradition / culture and learn from them.

Continue to skeleton dance not far from Huli wig man village, here man put on skeleton dance where bodies are decorated with charcoal and mud, slowly moving around scaring people. They have stories behind this performance.

After Skeleton dance move to the Mud man village for mud man show. Huge masks hanging over their heads walking / moving slowly trying to catch human being. Retire to Travelers hut for lunch and continue to Paiya village for village study – Hagen ladies dance with faces painted and dressings, Hagen wing man with faces painted and long head dress, chief and wives in traditional attire flowed with cooking – Tradtinal mumu/ cuisine prepared underground with hot stones. Pig killing will do.

Day 3 – Wednesday 13th January

“BIRDING”

B/fast at 4:30 am and 5:00am transfer to Rondon and continue to the birding site for 1 hours walk. There birding treks built for birding. You will take time to walk along the treks and see birds named bellow including other species. King of Saxony, Princes Stephanie’s Astraphia Superb bird of paradise., Brown Sickle bill, black sickle bill, short tailed paradigalla,) if you are lucky you will see them all. Rondon – Rondon is about 50km and one hour 30 minutes drive from Magic Mountain

Birds likely to be encoured at Rondon are; Red colored myzomela, yellow browed melidectors, Belford melidectors, Hooded manikins, white shouldered ferry wren, willie wag tail, Pied chat, Blue grey robin Brown sickle bill, lorikeets, ribbon tailed, Stephanie Astraphia, and mover.

Afternoon Transfer to Kumul lodge for bird watching & orchid garden – see birds come to feeding table and feed. Expect to see Princes Stephanie Bop, Ribbon Tailed Astraphia, brown sickle bill and other non Bop species.

Day 4 – Thursday 14th January

.“Visit to Alkena village for Spirit dance/sing sing.”

Early B/fast and transfer to Alkena village for local spirit dance. This is a special dance with face decoration, and costume which are different to Hagen dance which is unique. This is the only tribe in the province that knows the spirit dance. Spend ample time with villagers there and retire in the afternoon.

Day 5 Friday 15th January

“TRANSFER TO SIMBAI”

Early B/fast and transfer to Simbai on a small Aircraft run by Mission Aviation Fellowship – MAF. 25 to 30 minutes to get there. Meet by local guides on arrival and transfer to village where you will overnight there in simple village accomodation.

Simbai is a remote community in The Bismark Range where life carries on much as it has for thousands of years, we will be hosted by The Kalam People famous for their impressive costumes covered in shiny beetle heads

Day 6 – Saturday 16th January

Full day culture performances – singsing & dance, pig killing, weaving, building house, man initiation, and fencing etc. Even demonstration of traditional war fare using bows and arrows and traditional mourning over dead body.

Day 7 – Sunday 17th January

Trekking and nature walk in to villages, gardens etc

Day 8 – Monday 18th January

Transfer back to Mt. Hagen. Overnight Traveler’s hut.

Day 9 – Tuesday 19th January

REST IN MT. HAGEN FOR MT. WILHELM

Day 10 – Wed 20th January

Part 1 ends, Part II

“MT. WILHELM”

Mount Wilhelm is the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea – & indeed Oceania at 4,509 metres (14,793 ft). It is part of the Bismark Range and the peak is the point where three provinces meet. More importantly perhaps the surrounding scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, Wynd can think of few, if any, places he has been that have struck him more. The fauna and flora and both spectacular and different from elsewhere.

Those with a reasonable degree of fitness will be able to climb to the summit, however there is plenty to see and do at the base camp for those not interested in ascending

B/fast and transfer to Mt. Wilhelm lodge – Betty’s lodge. Afternoon scenic tour around the lodge and overnight. Meals provided by Betty. Stop over is necessary for photographing and scenic view.

Day 11 – Thursday 21st January

Full day in Mt. Wilhelm villages and people. :Possible assent of the mountain

Day 12 – Friday 22nd January

Full day in Mt. Wilhelm villages and people.

Day 13 – Saturday 23rd January

Transfer to Mt. Hagen Via Kundiawa and overnight Traveler’s Hut.

Day 14 – Sunday 24th January

Transfer to Mt. Hagen airport and onward to Port Moresby.

Horror and Hilarity: The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol – a Zoom talk with Richard Hand – Zoom

The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol (1897–1962), tucked away in the cobblestoned alleys of Pigalle, Paris, earned a notorious and legendary reputation as the “Theatre of Horror”. Specialising in short plays, it offered audiences an unforgettable blend of gruesome horror and raucous comedy. With its intimate stage and macabre allure, the theatre became a magnet for thrill-seekers, drawing both a loyal local audience and daring tourists. Nestled in a neighbourhood infamous for its brothels and gangs, the Grand-Guignol perfected a unique formula which alternated between realistic slice-of-death dramas and grotesque tales of murder, madness, and depravity. The visceral impact of these performances often led spectators to faint or vomit, requiring the assistance of the theatre’s in-house doctor. Yet, laughter mingled with gasps, as bawdy comedies lightened the tension between the chilling scenes.

While the original Grand-Guignol closed its doors in the 1960s, its influence persists in modern horror across media. Its ingenious blend of terror and humour laid the groundwork for subsequent live horror performances, inspiring immersive experiences and theatrical companies around the world. Academic and theatre director Richard Hand will shed light on the enduring legacy of this remarkable theatre, talking us through the vivid history, shocking artistry, and profound cultural impact of this legendary institution.

Richard J. Hand is Professor of Media Practice and Head of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. He has a particular interest in historical forms of popular culture, especially horror, and is the author of two books on horror radio drama; the co-author (with Michael Wilson) of four books on Grand-Guignol horror theatre; the co-editor (with Jay McRoy) of two volumes on gothic/horror cinema; and the co-editor (with Mark O’Thomas) of a collection of essays on American Horror Story. As well as an academic, he is a theatre director and award-winning radio writer, including as lead dramatist for the National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre on the Air podcast drama which, in 2020, was archived by the Library of Congress for its ‘historical and cultural significance’.

Your curator and host for this event will be the writer Edward Parnell, author of Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country. Ghostland (William Collins, 2019), a work of narrative non-fiction, is a moving exploration of what has haunted our writers and artists – as well as the author’s own haunted past; it was shortlisted for the PEN Ackerley 2020 prize, an award given to a literary autobiography of excellence. Edward’s first novel The Listeners (2014), won the Rethink New Novels Prize. His latest book is Eerie East Anglia (pub. Aug 2024) for the British Library’s Tales of the Weird series. For further info see: https://edwardparnell.com

Don’t worry if you can’t make the live event on the night – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day.

[Image: a montage of various vintage Grand Guignol play posters.]

Introduction to Tarot Workshop with Melissa Mercury

This workshop is the perfect introduction for anyone interested in learning more about tarot in a fun and relaxed environment. Join Melissa Mercury as she invites you to start your journey with the cards. You don’t need to be ‘psychic’ or have any experience to join, just an open mind. All you need to bring is yourself, notebook and pen, and a tarot deck (preferably the Rider Waite Smith Deck or one similar). There will be the option to purchase a deck on the night if you would like one.

This workshop includes:
+ A brief history of tarot
+ Meanings of the Major Arcana – the first and most famous 22 cards in the deck
+ Guided meditation
+ 3 card tarot spreads – the opportunity to get hands on and practise your skills with supervision and guidance from Melissa
+ Downloadable PDF with the card meanings and spreads

Also included with your tickets:
+ A glass of Devil’s Botany Chocolate Absinthe Liqueur
+ Admission to the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities

About Melissa Mercury, owner of Mercury Tarot:
Melissa qualified in Tarot at London School of Astrology in 2016 and has been reading the cards professionally ever since. She has read for over 10,000 people and been a guest on the Love Island and Paranormal Activity podcasts. In 2024 she appeared on stage with Gail Porter at Paranormal Activity Live to discuss the history of tarot and offer guests a live reading.

Melissa uses tarot as a tool to guide and support people looking for clarity in areas such as love, work and mental health. Tarot can provide clarity, confidence and a safe space to discuss difficult subjects.

Devil’s Botany is the UK’s first absinthe distillery, founded by Directors of The Last Tuesday Society’s Absinthe Parlour & Cocktail Bar. Celebrating spirit’s connection to art, literature, magic & mixology, Devil’s Botany is unleashing the future of absinthe with bold expressions for the adventurous drinkers of today.

Kinshasa, Bonobos & The Democratic Republic of Congo

This can be an add on to our “Welcome to The Congo’ Trip or a stand alone mini break

cost – £1600 – £1900 per person depending how many people sign up

Day 1 ARRIVAL AT KINSHASA

Arrival in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the fastest growing city in Africa, with nearly 20 million inhabitants. visit the sanctuary of the bonobos for the day

Day 2. Kinshasa-Kenge

After breakfast. We will leave Kinshasa. Our goal will be the highlands of the Kwango, territory of the Yaka people. Outside the city, we will stop for a brief visit to the “Mobutu pagoda style” farm, now in ruins. We will continue through a rough terrain to Kenge. Lunch and afternoon visit of a Yaka king in his village. The Yaka emigrated from Angola in the 16th century and settled under the control of the Kongo kingdom. In the 18th century, their lands were annexed by the Lunda people based in Angola, but in the 19th century, the Yaka had regained their independence. The tribe lives mainly from hunting, although subsidiary agriculture is undertaken by women. The Yaka artistic tradition is rich and varied and we will be able to see their art during a royal ceremony involving masked men and the dance of young insiders. After the ceremony, we will be blessed by His Royal Highness and then return to the hotel for dinner. Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 3: KENGE – KINSHASA

After breakfast, we will return to Kinshasa.

On the way back, we will visit another important cultural group in Congo, the powerful Kuba or Bakuba people. Their royal capital is in Mushenge, in the Province of Kasai but since the civil war that affected their territory, some Kuba groups have moved.

We will meet a Kuba chief, related to the royal family of Kasai and admire their unique art: masks, drums, and the famous royal raffia fabrics. After a visit to the village, we will talk to the chef and attend a traditional dance performed by the Kuba insiders. After the visit, we will return to Kinshasa. Lunch picnic along the way.

Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 4: KINSHASA – MBANZA NZAMBI – MBANZA NGUNGU (4h)

Early in the morning we will head to the small community of Mbanza Nzambi. In this remote rural area of the central province of Congo, we will find a religious group known as Tata Gonda, who lives isolated within a self-sufficient congregation. This Christian sect is inspired by the philosophy of Simon Kimbangu, a prophet who fought against European colonial oppression through a pan-African movement of Christian influence. In addition to the ethnographic and sociological interest, Tata Gonda’s followers have a unique aesthetic perspective, which makes the visit a unique experience. We will have lunch in the community and in the afternoon we will return to Kinshasa. Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 5. After breakfast, a full day exploring Kinshasa, transfer to beach for departure.

Follow Me, And I Will Be Thy Guide – Daniel Pietersen – Zoom

Through me you pass into the city of woe:
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me, among the people lost for e’re

So begins the inscription above the gateway to Hell, at least according to the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri. In his 14thC masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, Dante describes his journey through Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. While travelling through Hell, Purgatory and finally into Heaven itself Dante describes the people and places he witnesses, many fantastical but even more based firmly in fact.

In this talk Daniel Pietersen will act as Virgil, the poet’s companion through Hell, and guide us across boiling rivers, through screaming forests and across frozen plains, down through the Nine Circles of Dante’s ‘Inferno’. Here we will meet sinners of all stripes – gluttons, murderers and traitors – but also those who defied late medieval Christian orthodoxy and even a few unfortunates who Dante simply did not like. Hell, for Dante as well as Sartre, is other people. And let us not forget the many beings for whom Hell is a home: resentful Charon, who ferries souls from Limbo into Hell itself; Medusa, glaring out from the walls of Dis as she guards the descent into Lower Hell; gibbering Nimrod, now fallen from the Tower of Babel. We will gaze into the Abyss and the Abyss, with countless glittering eyes, will gaze back.

The Inferno is a beautiful piece of writing and a deeply moving act of soul-searching, which reveals Dante’s flaws as much as his perfections, but it also explores how society approaches crime and punishment in a way that still resonates today. Why do we punish rather than rehabilitate? Should suicide be considered a crime and, if so, against whom? Why, throughout human history, has fraud been considered a worse crime than murder?

So come, step over the threshold and into the shadows. It may be dark but it’s warm. At least for now. But remember the final line of that opening, cautionary stanza: Abandon hope, all ye who enter here…

Bio

Daniel Pietersen is a writer, critic and the editor of I Am Stone: The Gothic Weird Tales of R Murray Gilchrist, part of the Tales of the Weird series from the British Library. As well as being an invited speaker on weird and genre fiction for organisations like The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, the Lincoln Book Festival and Sheffield Gothic, Dan is also a regular contributor to the Romancing The Gothic programme, talking about subjects like Haunted Houses in various media, Dungeons & Dragons, and the Gothic heritage of Madonna. His criticism has appeared in Dead Reckonings, Extrapolations and the journal of the British Fantasy Society, amongst others. Daniel lives in Edinburgh, with a necromancer and hellhound.

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

Icelandic Horror Stories – Lena Heide Brennand – Zoom

Icelandic Horror Stories

Join us for an enthralling lecture exploring the haunting world of Icelandic horror stories, where ancient myths intertwine with contemporary tales of terror. Delve into the eerie ghosts of the Old Norse Sagas, where legendary figures and supernatural beings roam the rugged landscapes of Iceland, leaving a trail of mystery and dread. From the chilling tales of the undead guarding their graves, to the spectral apparitions that haunt modern Icelandic folklore, this lecture will take you on a journey through the dark corners of Icelandic culture. Experience how these stories reflect the nation’s deep-rooted fears and beliefs, evolving from the ancient past to resonate with today’s themes of isolation and existential dread. Prepare for a spine-tingling exploration of a land where history and horror collide, revealing the enduring power of storytelling in Iceland.

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