Witchcraft and Magic: Contemporary North America

Berger, H. (2005). Witchcraft and Magic: Contemporary North America. Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press, pp.138 - 139.

Early Commodification and Commercialisation: Salem, "Witch City"

'A natural starting point for exploring the manifestations of witchcraft is Salem, Massachusetts, also known as "Witch City." In the early 1690s, long before Wicca became a viable religion in North America, over two hundred people were on trial for practising witchcraft, and twenty were executed.' 

'The Peabody Essex Museum showcases many of the original witch trial documents and renders an authentic and sobering version of the trials. At the same time, it displays a tremendous variety of "witch kitsch" in a hallway filled with posters, postcards and ceramic witch figurines complete with broomsticks, black cats and cauldrons. This historical record of Witchcraft's commercialisation dates from at least 1862. Leaving the Peabody, one immediately notices multiple store awnings featuring a black robed pointy-hatted witch with a black cat and the caption "Stop by for a Spell."'

'It appears that every establishment has witch-themed items for sale, including T-shirts, dresses and cloaks, jewellery, ceramics, dolls, dishes and pictures.'

'The highly commercial Salem Witch Museum offers and explanation of the colonial witch hysteria through its tape-recorded show. Its gift shop offers prospective buyers a huge variety of witch kitsch, including postcards, playing cards, tote bags, coffee mugs, stuffed animals, and flying witch dolls as well as serious books covering the witch trials. Modern-day Salem underscores the entrepreneurial beginnings of the commercialisation of Witchcraft in North America, as it profits from the deaths of people killed as witches over 300 years ago. In response to the town's extreme commodification, in 1992 the local Witch Defense League dedicated a memorial to those who were executed as witches.'

Witchcraft and Magic in Popular Film and Television: Pre-Wicca Influx

'The commodification of Witchcraft can be explored through its portrayal in popular culture mass media such as film, television dramas, fantasies, and news programs as well as books and the Internet. The world has witnessed tremendous changes in the representation Witchcraft and magic since it became a recognised religion in North America in the 1970s.'

Early Films

'Witches in film have often been portrayed either as ugly, bad and powerful women or as extremely beautiful and good women. A clear example of this occurs in the film The Wizard of Oz, based upon the book by Frank L. Baum, which...gained popularity in the 1950s... A pretty blonde witch, Glinda the Good Witch of the North, directs Dorothy to magic slippers that can help them, while the ugly Wicked Witch of the West tries to foil their efforts.'

'Throughout the movie, the good-bad dichotomy, characterised as white magic versus black magic, is played upon. It seems that the wicked witch is so powerful and devious she is sure to win...'

'The moral of the story is that good magic and believing in oneself can provide the strength needed for tough situations, and it can overcome negative forces, as portrayed by the wicked witch.'

By Tanice G Foltz

The book is edited by Helen A. Berger but contains contributions from a number of different writers. Helen A. Berger is a 'sociologist specialising in the study of contemporary Paganism and witchcraft, a new religion with venerates the female divine to the exclusion of, or in conjuncture with, the male divine.'
Other writing is by: Michael York / Wendy Griffin / Ysamur M Flores-Peña / Stuart A Wright / Tanice G Foltz