#blockula

Louis Le Breton (1818–1866), “Witches’ Sabbath in Blåkulla Island”

illustration from “Dictionnaire Infernal” by Jacques Collin de Plancy, 6th edition, 1863

In Finland and Sweden witches are strongly associated with Easter. Kids will dress up as witches and go from house to house and knock on the door. When they come to your house you better have some candy to give them or they will not cast a protective spell on your home, and without that spell, anything could happen (For example your mailbox might mysteriously explode)

This tradition has it's roots in the 17th century Witch persecutions. During that time it was believed that witches would fly to Blockula over Easter (Swedish Blåkulla = Blue hill). They could fly on broomsticks or other farm tools, or animals, or even on other humans). On Blockula they would presumably hold a party with the devil. Most women (and some men) that were persecuted for this was accused of kidnapping someone, often a child, and bringing them with them. But it could also be that they rode to Blockula on someones farm animal, like a goat or a cow. You knew this had happened if your animal had fallen ill after Easter. Had to be a witch!

I thought I knew the most I could knew about witches...But I still do discoveries on the subject. Did you know that (I discovered it while searching for the term on Pinterest to do a moodboard) there is a tradition of Easter witches?

Hell yeah! I’m not speaking about Wiccans celebrating Ostara, I mean being associated with the Christian Easter.

I did not know that this is a thing in Scandinavian myths. In these countries, people believed in “Blockula” (never heard of this before either), a magical island that would only appear to witches, and made only for them, where they met the devil. An inverted Avalon, in a sense.

During the witch trials (XVIIth century) Scandinavians were terrified of witches, who visited Blockula  between Maundy Thursday and Easter (which they can’t stand, I guess). Witches had the reputation to steal to their neighbors things they could use to fly on and go to Blockula. Brooms, but also forks, rakes, cattle, etc. Peasants in Nordic  countries had the habit to hide their stuff during Holy week so witches won’t “borrow” these.

After the fear of witches disappeared during XVIIIth century, Scandinavians started to homage witches ‘s passage  at the time of the year. Until today, children, mostly, (but not only, elderly too) will dress as witches and go from house to house between  Maundy Thursday and Easter and ask for candies, Halloween style, giving branches with feathers in exchange . 

Hence Easter greetings cards featuring witches (note that they would wear a headscarf rather than a pointy hat, have colorful rather than black clothes, and for some reasons travel with a teapot -maybe because it is a long trip and they need to drink).

As the sky was supposed to be obscured with witches at the time of the year, Scandinavia associate Easter with witches, as closely as bunnies.

Maundy Thursday - the painting shows the ceremony of washing the feet of a number of poor people, performed by royal or other eminent people, or by ecclesiastics, on the Thursday before Easter.

Then again, according to Swedish tradition this is the day when witches fly to a place called Blockula to party with the devil. 

 And…oh wait, there is still snow there in march and April? 

It begins actually on Palm Sunday, when children start to offer feathered branches.

Guess that witches appearance was XVth century peasants inspired, when witches were supposed to be any woman. But here, you can see that they dressed like anybody else during Victorian era. Apart from brooms it was possible to ride on a Billy goat,  or on a cat familiar if rendered big enough. 

And were they a stand in for Cupid on Valentine day too?

I was intrigued too by recurring symbols. Scandinavian witches have cats, because they are their familiars, of course. But I could not define the symbolism of putting a ribbon around their neck.

Witches also have teapots and horns, and, I don't know…kind of shovels? Edit: Rather edgers, actually.

 Teapots and horns (you could drink in) were simply a reminder of feasts in Blockula. By the way, the island was an " inverted land " were women notably act as men. No wonder witches were all women then.

For the shovels (edgers), I guess it was to erase prints. Baba Yaga, the Slavic witch, was travelling in a barrel and erased her prints with a broom. But Scandinavian witches would fly directly on a broom, not a barrel, technically it let no prints on the floor. So, if someone know why the edgers? (maybe to ride on it like any farming tool, but witches had them in addition of their brooms actually...)

Modern era witches can see the disguised kids as offensive, because the virpominen tradition was inspired by the witches Hunt and persecution era.

On my way to Blockula, half a year early but better early than late. This is the traditional way of traveling there and you’ll always see them around Easter.

Also, education time: