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St. Mary Magdalene's Day - July 22

I fell ill that day, but I still want to post something regarding this wonderful saint.

Known as 'The Apostle of the Apostles', Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus's most beloved disciples. She is steeped in controversy and mystery through the many legends surrounding her origins and her connection to Jesus. She has been known as Jesus's companion and partner as early as 1500 years ago through the Gospel of Philip in the Gnostic faith, and she is seen often in Gnostic texts (way before Dan Brown entertained the thought she was Jesus's wife).

The Easter egg is rumored to be connected to her, as she is the first to see Christ's Tomb empty, and shows the disciples this news by showing them an egg turned red by God.

In folk traditions, Mary Magdalene is invoked in magic spells, especially love magic. The eve of her feast is believed to be a great time for prophetic dreams. She is the patron saint of beauticians, hairdressers, aromatherapists, perfumers, pharmacists, lovers, prostitutes, prisoners, and any who pine after someone else.

France is where she is most commonly celebrated. There are about 125 shrines in her name. Legend has it that she fled the Holy Land and isolated in a cave in France, where she communed with angels, and became a mystic in Christian thought.

So, for her feast day, it can be a good time for:

-Divination by chalice (for her connection with the Holy Grail)

-Dream spells

-Love spells

-Meditations for connecting to your power

-Women's health campaigns

-Studying any metaphysical texts with active learning

-gifts of myrrh, a perfume bottle, and wine on the altar

Bonjour and Hello!

My name is Laurence and I am a Heritage Witch. I chose this path in 2019 after research into my genealogical roots and heritage from Quebec and Acadia. I wanted to create a path for myself that was relevant to my experience growing up in my Quebec family and in the surrounding landscape around me. I have another Tumblr account, showing some French Canadian witch material, but I decided to hone the focus and create a new account just for this.

I research French Canadian and Acadian folk ways and history, using archive and scholarly sources to gain knowledge for my practice. I also aim to write a book about these practices for the modern witch. I want to have the information I gathered to be accessible to the wider witchcraft and Pagan community, for anyone that would be interested in adding these tidbits to their path.

As the book is being written, I am going to post some blog entries about my findings, and little tidbits of knowledge I've found.

This blog is a safe space for all witches and everyone that comes with an open mind. While French Canadian and Acadian culture is beautiful, I recognize the colonial aspects of the history and culture, and I aim to dismantle that. I will not entertain or tolerate Quebec nationalism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. I support active reconciliation efforts with indigenous cultures and peoples, and while I recognize that French Canadians and Acadians have a shared cultural history with indigenous peoples, this blog will not post or teach indigenous practices. It is not my place to do so. This practice focuses on folk Catholicism as practiced by my ancestors. I do not support the Catholic Church and I want them to be held accountable for all the wrongs they have committed. This is a place of love and acceptance.

Stay tuned and I look forward to exploring and sharing further.

-Laurence

I bought the book Héritage d'Acadie by Jean-Claude Dupont, one of my favorite books on Acadian folk ways, and Luc Dupont sent me so many other books for free ❤️❤️❤️ my heart is so happy! Moonshadow is enjoying my scholarly spoils. I'm especially thrilled to receive the book on traditional Acadian medicine. That book is almost impossible to find still in print, and has been on my wishlist a very long time.

Lesson of the day: talk to your favorite authors and publishing houses. Especially in Acadian and French Canadian small print houses. They show so much generosity and openness in providing resources if you reach out.

Let there be light!

May 17 - National Fiddlers Day - la journée nationale des violoneux

This year, I’m earnestly starting up my fiddle learning as part of my spiritual practice. For many Acadian and French Canadian families, having a violoneux (fiddler) among us was a guaranteed entertainer!

My great great grandfather Dominique Malaison, out of thirteen siblings, was the only one to pick up a musical talent! He would keep his fiddle attached to an old red ribbon, and mounted it on the staircase wall. He would play the Hangman’s Reel and the Devil’s reel to my then young great uncle Leo’s requests. Dominique’s wife Anasthasie Arsenault would be the expert podorhythmic and would turlutte the songs with great breath control! They passed on this gift to my great grandmother Angèle Malaison. She would play tunes and my mother would dance to them. I also have vague memories of dancing to her playing as well when I was really young.

Others in my family also had the penchant for the fiddle. My great great grandfather Joseph Gilbert would learn his tunes with recorded vinyls, and practice late into the night. Their house was really small and no soundproofing! His daughter, my great grandmother Florida Gilbert, would be sleeping in her room and tell him “you don’t have that part yet!” And he’d go to her bedroom door and ask her “well then sing it for me!”

My mother took violin lessons, but never really stuck with it. Although, she does keep Angèle’s fiddle displayed on the mantle in her house. I’ll inherit it one day.

Learning fiddle for me is a struggle, it being a really hard instrument to learn anyway. As I’m attempting to understand how to read music and develop my musical ear, I remind myself of those who came before me, and that I am carrying on for them. I want to bring that same joie de vivre and dancing joy to my own house with this heritage, and participate in my musical culture in full swing! I try to light a candle every time I practice, to remember them and to wish me luck at the same time!

Dominique Malaison

My mom (little kid at the right), enjoying Angèle playing tunes while her son Raymond sits nearby.

Florida and Noël on their wedding day, with Joseph Gilbert on the right.

New apartment, new altar!!!! I found a handmade kitchen hutch beautifully made by a carpenter in the 1970s. It reminded me of my grandpa's wood skills. My old one is still loved and cherished but at my girlfriend's place for us both. This one has a lot more space than my old one, storage and surface wise. I just finished painting Cap Éternité in Saguenay (bottom reference photo) on the altar backsplash area. The next project is designing stained glass windows for the doors on the cabinet hutch and installing lights at the top to illuminate the art. The one after that would be mythological creatures of French Canadian and Acadian folklore on the door medallions. I also plan to put in two sconces to hold vases of flowers on either end of the hutch, and paint more folk art designs on the hutch sides and drawers. The beginning of many a cherished moment painting this piece to make it come alive within my practice.

JEANMAIRE ÉDOUARD - Le Soleil

A lovely Quinzou to everyone! I got dressed in my best ritual clothes, packed up my Stella Maris rosary (that Moonshadow loves to munch on..), enjoyed some live Acadian music and had an intimate little ritual for Mary.

honestly.. dream witch's cabin right there. "La maison acadienne" in the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens.

Back online!

Hello everyone! I apologize for being inactive in a while. I just graduated from my final year of Costume Studies at Dalhousie University and I am now in a place where I can research and practice my faith to my heart's desire. More posts are incoming :) the goal for this year would be to fine-tune my festivals and holy days schedule and rituals, as well as implementing my practice in my daily life. My altar got a little refreshing, my cat is helping with my holiday book, and I found a frog in the Camp Hill Cemetery!