A review of Nigel G. Pearson: The Devil’s Plantation
(Troy Books. 2015)
“Traditional Witchcraft”
is gradually being turned into a catch all phrase for any folk tradition believed
to be non-wiccan witchcraft, a label adopted by anyone believing themselves to
work in a traditional way or set out to create their own traditions. A part of
me aches seeing this, another part of me just turn a blind eye to it all because
after all I am not the keeper of my brother and certainly not the watchdog of tradition.
Good books
about what we understand as ‘traditional witchcraft’ are few and rare largely because
those truly involved in the witching ways are rarely interested in speaking
about their art and craft directly and even more so when we are speaking of publications
like a book speaking about the art and craft. The lack of good books on the
craft makes a book like Nigel’s The Devil’s Plantation a joy to behold and
read. It is a book breaching this field between sharing and keep silent what
shall be kept quiet in a generous and
enlightened way, a book of clarity and kindness that maintain the path direct
of the traditional torch that sheds light on the nature and essence of the
craft.
There is much
good to be said of this book and for me personally the fact that this book
somehow follows in the footsteps on a long time favorite book on this subject,
namely Nigel Pennick’s East Anglian Magic (Robert Hale. London 1995) just makes
me treasure this book even more. Nigel is giving much attention to the devil,
to witchcraft saints and in general to how the land itself with its inhabitants
should and could be understood and worked. We are speaking of dual observance,
or the worship of both hands as an integral mystery of the very understanding
of the art that so naturally is applied and acted upon by the witch traditional
in pact and concord with the blood of its land.
The book is
not only a generous sharing of the witching ways with is spirits, herbs and
mysteries, both diurnal and nocturnal – but it is also a celebration of a land
Nigel knows so well and in this the book becomes a testament giving voice to the
mighty dead still alive under rocks and creeks, in wind and leaves in East
Anglia and with that I praise myself fortunate to include yet another worthy
tome in the library of witchcraft and look forward to Nigel’s next offering in praise
of land, spirit and night!