Culture Blogs
The Musings, Writings and Fabric Art of an Urban Witch, from Wellington, New Zealand
Hecate, Cailleach, and Winter
Winter is starting here in Wellington New Zealand, and has been heralded by a weeklong southerly storm. The Cailleach, she is not far away and can be felt in this the first of the winter storms. Offerings are already being made by unsuspecting people who were silly enough to bring umbrellas as protection against the strong southerly winds.
The Cailleach, a Scottish winter Goddess brought here, if you will, by settlers from the British Isles. She is similar to Hine-nui-te-pō the Maori Goddess of the underworld and death, who was here before. It maybe that the Cailleach found her,Hine-nui-te-pō as a sister, their energies do seem to coexist in a complementary way. Well they do for me anyhow.
It is said that in Wellington if you have an umbrella then you have just moved here or you are a tourist.
With the rains, mushrooms have also sprouted, and in some of the oddest of places. this is a main intersection heading northwards out of the city,
At the cross roads where Hecate is often found, little white umbrella mushrooms grow heralding the winter to come.
With the coming of the Cailleach and a whiff of crossroads and Hecate i am wonder what Winter will bring, a time of hibernation, quiet contemplation but also what else?
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Mistress Polly,
Thanks for sharing! You have a great sense of place, informed by an awareness of the Gods and spirits.