Kitchen Witch | Halloween/Samhain Special

Thyme to Chat

Have you noticed a seemingly sudden waking of the witches? Society's narrative of enchanters has been nothing short of damning and outright dangerous. Yet, WitchTok continues to pull in views by the billions, and to some tarot feels as approachable as an artisanal cocktail. Join your hosts, Rose Tomlin and Kamea Black, for a spooky conversation about #kitchenwitches, the craft, and modern witch hunts. Making your own kitchen magic? Turn up the volume on our kitchen witch companion playlist here on Spotify. Connect with us on Instagram: @culinaryherbalisim and @tastysaltyreal. You can find more information about your hosts on our podcast website.*This show contains strong language. Listener discretion is advised*

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Representation of Witches

Growing up we observed depictions of witches being women outside of the status quo. In fairytales and folklore, they are described as ugly, old, and often living in solitude. Interestingly, our beloved Wizard of Oz had a significant hand in solidifying our imagery for green witches and the classic witch costume. However, the famous MGM version of the story also complicated our imagery when they gave us Glinda the good witch. In her glittering ball gown, she does not call herself a fairy godmother--she is a witch. If you recall, Glinda also asks Dorthy if she had brought her broomstick for easier travel. In the end, Dorthy used her own power to get home but she had to endure a journey before she discovered she held magic within her.

In our modern lives, folks are increasingly calling themselves a witch and diversifying our understanding of what witches look like. On WitchTok we see increasing representation of non-binary people practicing magic and offering mentorship. Currently the Peabody Essex Museum, in Salam Massachusetts, has an exhibit featuring the work of Frances F. Denny. Her project Major Arcana celebrates the diversity of this traditionally taboo identity in her portraits of witches.

Kitchen Witches

It is true, Kitchen Witches were originally charms for the kitchen to ward off unwanted spirits in the heart of the home. For a Halloween-inspired craft, you might consider making your own.

Baby Soup and Broomsticks

For more on baby soup, you can read this article that explores some of the historical events behind our wild witch stories. As for why witches ride broomsticks...well it could have linkages to an old fertility ritual, but there is strong evidence to suggest that it was so they could go on trips. Other stories that surround Halloween do have roots in the old traditions of Samhain. For an overview of some of those traditions, see this post from our friends at Sea Witch Botanicals.

Witchhunts

While we like to think of witchhunts as being a mere relic of the past, it is important to recognize that real people are physically harmed because of accusations of being a witch. For more consider this article in Scientific America or this piece that illustrates witch hunts as a modern global issue.

For those looking for deeper homework, I offer a lecture from Dr. Silvia Federici. In this video, she discusses witch-hunts and their role in the expansion of capitalist accumulation alongside enclosure, enslavement, and land dispossession from women and Indigenous communities.

Finally, please read Lindy West's book The Witches are Coming. If you consume content best through video, you can hear her read excerpts from this book here.

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