On campus study examines modern neo-paganism, Wicca

Anthropology professor seeks to educate about modern witchcraft

By Jaclyne Badal
The Collegian

Today’s witch is not necessarily a Satanist or a sallow-faced youth dressed entirely in black, and she’s not as uncommon as one might expect.

Fresno State anthropology professor Penny Verin-Shapiro is studying the modern version of witchcraft, called Wicca. She wants people to better understand the belief system, which is becoming increasingly popular in the United States.

“I wanted to have some information to counteract the stereotypes that were going on,” Verin-Shapiro said, “It’s not the satanic thing most people think it is.”

Verin-Shapiro said the average person could not pick a Wiccan out of a crowd. Wiccans display few visual clues, and most are as subtle as a piece of symbolic jewelry.

A circle with a star around it is the most common Wiccan symbol, but Verin-Shapiro said few people recognize it for what it is. This is partly because Wiccans tend to be private about their religion.

“People are most often concerned about their workplace,” Verin-Shapiro said. “They’re not sure how the work world will respond.”

Former Fresno State student Vickie Fouts practices an eclectic version of neo-paganism that combines Wicca with Native American rituals. She said she used to be reluctant to share her beliefs, but recently found the inner strength to become more open.

“I’ve learned that I can even say it to my Muslim friends,” Fouts said. “They accept that.”

Fouts is still cautious around some strangers, however. She said she would never walk into a Republican Party meeting or a conservative church and announce her beliefs.

“I feel like they might burn me on the spot,” Fouts said.

The very word “witch” has many negative connotations. Few people outside the tradition understand what Wiccans believe — to them, witchcraft is a vague idea that is one part Harry Potter and one part Halloween.

Wiccans at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan are trying to counteract that problem by using the club Web site to educate others. They post the counsel by which most Wiccans live: “An harm ye none, do as ye will.”

The eight-word motto has slight variations but basically means that people should not harm others. Most Wiccans believe in the rule of three, or the three-fold law.

“Anything you do, good or bad, will come back to you times three — three times as cursed or three times as blessed,” Verin-Shapiro said.

Verin-Shapiro is learning about the religion by observing rituals and interviewing Wiccans. She uses both the Fresno State community and the city at large.

The project started as a way to enrich Verin-Shapiro’s anthropology of religion class. She said she thought students would enjoy buying one less book and hearing from guest speakers.

Eventually, she hopes to collect enough data to publish her findings.

The Wiccan religion is still relatively new – most trace its start in the United States to the 1960s – and is not yet a well-researched subject in academia.

It’s difficult just to pinpoint the number of Wiccans nationwide, although Verin-Shapiro speculates there are hundreds practicing in the Fresno area alone.

“It’s much more prevalent than people realize,” Verin-Shapiro said. “There’s a wide age range of people. I’ve talked to one senior citizen and I’ve talked to people who were young adults.”

Verin-Shapiro said the research has progressed surprisingly well to date, but said she still wants to speak to as many Wiccans and other neo-pagans as possible.

For Fouts, the former student who now practices neo-paganism, just talking to Verin-Shapiro was an enlightening experience.

“I learned things about myself,” she said. “By saying them out loud to her, it gave me the confidence to say them out loud to other people.”

Students who wish to participate in Verin-Shapiro’s study may contact her at 278-3051 or [email protected].

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