The Pagan Activist

Excerpt from Damon Leif's column 'Paganism in Africa' HERE on The Pagan Activist:

'South Africa: SATURDAY 29 MARCH TO SUNDAY 27 APRIL 2008

'30 days of Advocacy against Prejudice and Violence'

One annual event will be gathering South African Pagans across the country in celebration of religious freedom under a new constitution in which equality and religious freedom are enshrined.

On 29 March South African Pagans, including members of the South African Pagan Council (SAPC) and the  South African Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA) will be launching '30 days of Advocacy against Prejudice and Violence' (29 March to April 27 2008) to highlight the tragedy of incidences of violence against people incorrectly alleged to be Witches or falsely accused of practicing Witchcraft in South Africa.

The 30 days of Advocacy against Prejudice and Violence will culminate on Freedom Day (April 27) with Pagan Freedom Day celebrations in 5 cities around the country. [1]

In order to highlight the tragedy of ongoing violence and religious and cultural prejudice against Witchcraft as well as offer accurate information on real Witchcraft as practiced from a Pagan perspective, three self-defined Pagan Witches, Morgause Fontleve, Luke Martin and myself have compiled a book entitled A Pagan Witch’s Touchstone. [2]

A Pagan Witch’s Touchstone details actual witch-hunts in South Africa between 1980 and 2007, examines steps taken by the South African government to bring an end to Witchcraft-related violence, explores the underlying beliefs and assumptions held by many South Africans about Witchcraft, the Occult and Paganism that promote and engender accusations of Witchcraft, and challenges these beliefs by offering accurate information on these subjects by South African Witches themselves.'