In 1785, an elderly widow in Pownal, Vt.  named Margaret Krieger, was accused of witchcraft and narrowly escaped drowning in the town’s river. Her accusers believed that witches floated and innocents sank. At the last minute, she was pulled from the water and saved.

That feels like Vermont.

Witches have long been a symbol of the abuses and atrocities committed against women who were different or who challenged the male hierarchies in their communities. The Pownal History Society and the town library organized a remembrance day for Widow Krieger. They invited people to come to the river and dress as witches to commemorate one of the last witch trials and one of the very few with a happy ending. Krieger lived for six more years.

Witches have fascinated women for centuries; I could feel that yesterday. Kids love to dress like witches –  Walt Disney shaped their current notions. I’m sure the Pownal “witch” didn’t wear a pointed hat.

I had conflicting feelings about the very colorful remembrance.

It seemed odd to have so festive and happy and colorful a ceremony to remember a woman who was unjustly persecuted and nearly died, as were so many other women in Puritan America, often in the cruelest and most ignorant of ways.

But it was also fun and drew a large crowd, including many kids.

Although there were readings and talks about the Pownal “witch,” it was also a chance for young and old to dress up in witchy outfits. Maybe I’m watching too much news, but I kept thinking of the many women in America still fighting to save their lives at the hands of arrogant and brutal men.

There were scores of children in costumes, and I couldn’t help but think of this poor old woman who bigots and the righteous nearly drowned. What, exactly, were we celebrating?

My unease melted when Maria and her wonderful belly dancing group—invited to the Historical Society’s remembrance—danced to a beautiful song that captured the poignancy, sorrow, and feeling of the witch persecutions.

Julz Irion, the dance group’s co-leader, chose S.J. Tucker’s poignant and beautiful song “Song Of The Witches.”

I have always considered Maria a good witch; she is the witchiest person I know, and I love her all the more for it. She has supernatural powers and a love of herbs; she does almost anything she sets out to do. I now believe good witches are drawn to belly dancing.

The dancing was just incredible. It perfectly captured the feeling of the witch persecutions, their tragedy, and injustice. It touched everyone who watched it. It was both haunting and poignant.

The dancers captured the mood; I’m sharing the photographs here. The dancing group means great things to Maria; it supports her struggle to build a new and meaningful life. They are very caring to one another, a community in their way.

I loved taking these photographs, which helped me share the powerful and tragic stories of the so-called “witches,” the kind of woman I love. Thanks, dancers, for inviting me to photograph it. I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

You had me and other people in tears.

 

I love the smile on Maria’s face.

 

Only four of the group’s dancers could make yesterday’s remembrance, but the four who did made them proud. The feeling coming out of the dance was powerful; it captured all of the people watching, even the children.

 

 

 

Before the dance.

Maria put her witch-dancing outfit together.

The back was even more witchy than the front.

Younger witches demanded to be photographed. I was afraid to say no.