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The Shortest Day Of The Year Is Here: Here's How Witches Celebrate The Winter Solstice
Aotearoa is set to have its shortest day of the year on Friday as winter solstice approaches the Southern Hemisphere.
The astronomical event marks the exact moment when half the earth will be at its furthest distance from the sun.
Though it is technically the darkest day of the year, many cultures around the world will be celebrating winter solstice for the promise it brings of lighter days and spring.
In Aotearoa, winter solstice is often celebrated as part of Matariki, the Māori New Year, as both events reflect a time of growth and renewal in the natural and spiritual worlds.
It is a time to reflect on what has passed and set goals for the future as you share kai and gaze at the stars.
One of the communities celebrating both winter solstice and Matariki was the Christchurch-based Coven of the Sacred Stars.
Rachael Treymane, coven co-leader and admin of the Witches and Pagans of Aotearoa Facebook page, said winter solstice held great significance in pagan tradition.
"It's considered the point in which things are obviously going to get colder, but the sun will ultimately return. We acknowledge the absolute necessity of what the cold brings and does for us (deep retrospective time) and the earth (killing things off to make way for rebirth).
"Our group combines winter solstice and Matariki together and it's important to us because it gives us time to stop and reflect on what we are grateful for, our challenges, our intentions, and our ancestors."
The coven would celebrate winter solstice this weekend with cleansing and grounding rituals, karakia, and shared kai. The main ritual involved sharing wishes for the year ahead and grieving those who had passed on.
"We will write our goals and wishes down on paper and burn them, allowing the smoke to carry them up to the Matariki star cluster."
While the Witches and Pagans of Aotearoa group began 10 years ago, the Coven of Sacred Stars has only been in operation since 2020.
There were currently nine members in the coven, including three members from North America and a kaiārahi, or cultural advisor, who grew up in te ao Māori.
"We are an eclectic non-traditional group, so we pull from many practices open to us, but only what is suitable for us," Treymane said.
"We are very committed treaty partners, and it is a huge value of our group."
The coven meet with every new moon, every other full moon, and all eight wheel of the year celebrations: Samhain, Winter Solstice, Imbolc, Spring Equinox, Beltaine, Summer Solstice, Lugnasadh, and Autumn Equinox.
They also meet up to socialise and have held public events to show people they are a community like any other.
While Pagan pub nights and witchy photoshoots for Samhain have been popular, Treymane said the coven was still subject to stigmas.
"We are either seen as silly or dangerous, but we are neither ... we aren't out here making cookie cutter followers, we want passionate individuals that honour themselves but also honour the interdepence of the group.
"I encourage people to bring their strengths, or whatever they want to share, to help to continue to shape the coven. We include all genders and are a feminist group. We have cis men right through to people in the trans community, and non-binary peeps. Everyone is welcome."
So how do real witches operate? Is it anything like Charmed or Harry Potter?
"Kinda," Treymane said.
"Many of these shows and movies have a cultural advisor on board. The rituals and spell work are similar, but the flashy bells and whistles aren't - nor are the results. Bringing people back to life, for example, is very Hollywood and not so much witchcraft.
"Meditation, cleansing, grounding, shadow work, attraction, banishing, and social justice work is the focus of the coven's workings."
Outside of the coven, Treymane was a social worker in the field of family and sexual harm.
She said studying rituals rooted in te ao Māori had helped both in her line of work and personal life.
"I am from Invercargill but my ancestors are all very European. Interestingly enough, the more time I spend learning about te ao Māori, the more time I spend investigating my own background.
"It's like it gives me permission to seek out and be interested in my own stuff. As a social worker it continues to give me opportunities to learn."
Treymane is a volunteer for Decult as a survivor support. Decult is the first cult and high demand group conference in Aotearoa. It is being held in Christchurch in October.
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