Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth
In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.
The Trouble With Cowans
I swear, it's the same every time I get back from a pagan festival.
Next morning, I get out of bed. I go downstairs to put the kettle on.
I get out the teapot and load the tea ball. Then I head for the back door to get a sprig of mint from the garden.
(Nothing says “Summer morning” better than fresh mint in your tea.)
Suddenly, contextual awareness kicks in.
Stop! I think. Go put some pants on first.
Cowans. Ye gods.
Seriously, what's wrong with these people?
Comments
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Thursday, 03 August 2023OK, this is funny.
But could we [i]please[i] stop using that word (or, worse, "Muggles")?
Having a down-putting term for people who aren't a part of your religion is culty. -
Friday, 04 August 2023
Heard and registered. Thanks!
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Friday, 04 August 2023
Not so sure about "culty," though.
Many--if not most--peoples with a collective sense of identity have a term for the "not-us people": barbaroi (non-Hellenes), loezim (non-Hebrews), mlechhas (non-Hindus). They're useful terms to have, and (such has been my experience, anyway) the source of much self-directed laughter.
I'd contend that it's not so much the terms themselves as how they're used: potentially dangerous, if not downright chauvinistic, and to be used with full awareness of such.
Even the Hopi have ka-Hopi, "un-Hopi." It's only considered derogatory when used of other Hopi, though. You can't expect non-Hopi to act (or think) like Hopi, after all. -
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ty!
Been there. Done that. Almost took off the T-shirt.