Vancouver Island, it seems, is chock full of witches.

But, according to Lynn-Anne Hill, the producer of the recent Summer Witches Market in Metchosin, that may be a very good thing.

乌鸦传媒淭here are hundreds of covens on the Island. There are a lot here in Victoria and all over. There乌鸦传媒檚 a great coven up in Nanaimo,乌鸦传媒� said Hill, who readily embraces her 乌鸦传媒榳itchiness乌鸦传媒�, although she does not, herself, belong to a coven.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 a singular believer 乌鸦传媒� a nature-based witch 乌鸦传媒� and I live in the forest where I attract owls, bears and cougars,乌鸦传媒� said Hill.

乌鸦传媒淭hese are positive, wonderful, loving people,乌鸦传媒� she added, looking around the hall where dozens of witches had gathered. 乌鸦传媒淎nd each of them finds their magic in their own way.乌鸦传媒�

Moving around the market, it became apparent that Hill乌鸦传媒檚 assessment of the witches in attendance seemed to be spot on.

Karen Jones, for example, was entirely non-threatening as she tended to her broomstick sale.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 100 per cent witch,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 called upon to work my energy and these brooms have been made with intention.

She pointed out a broom made for a crone who needs help walking and another that draws on the energy of the ocean. Another broom had two heads attached to a single handle.

But do her brooms fly?

乌鸦传媒淥h, they will fly. Of course it depends on who乌鸦传媒檚 riding them. If you have the power and want them to fly, they will absolutely fly,乌鸦传媒� said Jones.

Notably absent from the Witch乌鸦传媒檚 Market were any of the negative characteristics of witches that have infested our folklore and media depictions. There wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a single cauldron full of hell-broth, newt eyes or toes of frogs.

In fact, the witches in attendance displayed none of the stereotypes that tend to accompany witch lore. Absent were the double chins, warts or toothless sneers that have come to characterize fairy tales and films. Instead, the witches in attendance appeared to be completely enchanting, blithe spirits.

And the people coming to visit the market and speak to the witches appeared to be quite at ease.

Of course, that hasn乌鸦传媒檛 always been the case.

In the fall of 1982, allegations surfaced of witches having formed a satanic cult that was sacrificing babies stolen from a Victoria hospital.  The 乌鸦传媒淪atanic Panic乌鸦传媒� put Victoria on the map for a time as the police even investigated the allegations.

Not surprisingly, those claims were soon debunked, and the hysterical fears abated.

Still, it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 until the summer of 2017 that the Canadian Government repealed the last laws against witchcraft. (In fairness, those laws stated that it was illegal to "fraudulently pretend to exercise or to use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment or conjuration". Presumably, if the witchcraft was real, it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 illegal.)

Actually, a lot of the discrimination against witches it seems, has always been found in a response to a feminist agenda.

乌鸦传媒淲itch means 乌鸦传媒榳ise woman乌鸦传媒� a woman who tends to her own feelings and checks with her own intuition before making decisions,乌鸦传媒� said Jordan Griffin, another of the witches at the Market. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 really more of an intuitive, spiritual factor. Or sometimes, it乌鸦传媒檚 someone who believes in and understands magic 乌鸦传媒� in things that are unseen.乌鸦传媒�

Griffin explained that she used to host circles for women who understood the nature of the craft.

Sue Ferrie, another witch, reiterated Griffin乌鸦传媒檚 viewpoint.

乌鸦传媒淢odern religion is all about fear. Wicca is not. Wicca is about looking after nature and people. It乌鸦传媒檚 about women being in total control of herself, with no harm to anyone," said Ferrie.

Weighing in on the feminist side of witchcraft, Ronalda Katherine added, "I think all women are witches乌鸦传媒� and I don乌鸦传媒檛 mean that in a bad way. We all have women乌鸦传媒檚 strength and the ability to make things happen. Women can use their energy to make things happen. They乌鸦传媒檙e more in touch with their feelings and can project that more.乌鸦传媒�

With that in mind, don乌鸦传媒檛 imagine that Vancouver Island乌鸦传媒檚 witches are all about potions and secret incantations, or about some modern-day women乌鸦传媒檚 movement. 

At least that乌鸦传媒檚 not all it乌鸦传媒檚 about. Witches seem to have some fun, as well.

There乌鸦传媒檚 the British Columbia Witch-camp, for example. That乌鸦传媒檚 where witches come together each year for one week to celebrate, learn, teach, and be together as community. Although they don乌鸦传媒檛 specifically say so, there are some great bonfires and conversations and jokes as well.

Then there乌鸦传媒檚 events like the one hosted by the coven in Royston, BC. They dress in their witchiest outfits and paddleboard for charity.

Prizes are awarded for the best costume as well as the best cackle.

乌鸦传媒淲e bring a lot of energy to our events,乌鸦传媒� said Hill. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 no recruitment, and no judgement. This is just a wonderful, positive and loving community.乌鸦传媒�

And yes, they do have the odd love potion available for those in need.