In this profound interview, Ikponwosa Ero unpacks her work advocating for human rights of victims of witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks. As a lawyer and a former United Nations Independent Expert on the Rights of Persons with Albinism, she shares her professional journey and personal experience as an advocate with albinism. Through the interview, she provides extensive data on the nature and scale of the problem, explaining the global presence of harmful practices beyond Africa, in North and South America and Europe. She talks about her contribution at the United Nations, emphasizing the importance of human rights framework in combating these harmful practices. The conversation also covers the need for grassroots collaborations, the collection of reliable data, the importance of cross-movement partnerships, and the role of climate change in these harmful practices.

Recommended Reading

United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 47/8. Elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacksPapua New Guinea Sorcery and Witchcraft Accusation-Related Violence National Action PlanPan African Parliament Guidelines for Addressing Accusations of Witchcraft and Ritual AttacksReport of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Study on the situation of the violations and abuses of human rights rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, as well as stigmatization

Recommended ViewingIK Ero On Next Steps For Ending Witch Hunts TINAAWAHPSanguma: Everybody’s BusinessNational Action PlanI Am Not a WitchSaving Africa's Witch ChildrenWebsites of NoteEnd Witch HuntsThe International Network against Accusations of Witchcraft and Associated Harmful PracticesGrassroots organizations working with The International NetworkInternational Alliance to End Witch HuntsStop Sorcery ViolenceStorymap explaining the dynamics of sorcery accusation related violence

In this two-minute trailer, the hosts introduce themselves and the show.
Thou Shalt Not Suffer premieres October 6, 2022. The show features the stories of real people accused of witchcraft, interviews with leading witch trial researchers and activists, and news on the witch-hunts happening in your world now. Subscribe or follow today.
https://www.thoushaltnotsuffer.com
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshhutchinson/thou-shalt-not-suffer

Explore the fascinating transformation of Christmas traditions in America, revealing how many of our cherished customs emerged more recently than we might imagine. Examine Christmas celebrations in colonial America, where the holiday bore little resemblance to today's family-centered observance. Through court records and historical accounts, we learn how the Puritans banned Christmas in Massachusetts from 1659 to 1681, troubled by its connections to pre-Christian festivals and its often rowdy, carnival-like atmosphere.

The narrative threads through several compelling historical cases, including a 1679 incident in Salem Village where four young wassailers - including future Salem Witch Trial figures Samuel Braybrook and Joseph Flint - caused significant disruption during their Christmas celebrations. This event illuminates the complex relationships between holiday revelry, social order, and the later witch trials that would shake colonial New England.

Tracing the origins of Christmas customs, hosts Josh and Sarah explore how ancient festivals like Saturnalia and Yule influenced early celebrations, and how Christian leaders strategically absorbed these pre-Christian traditions. Learn how the modern American Christmas largely took shape in the 19th century, with particular attention to the literary creation of Santa Claus by Washington Irving and his circle of writers known as the Knickerbockers. Their work directly influenced Clement Clark Moore's famous poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," which the hosts perform as a special dramatic reading.

The evolution of Christmas trees, gift-giving customs, and holiday decorations receives careful examination, demonstrating how these "timeless" traditions emerged relatively recently as part of a broader transformation of Christmas from a community celebration to a domestic, child-centered holiday.

Throughout the episode, Josh and Sarah weave together scholarly research with engaging storytelling, helping listeners understand how Christmas evolved to reflect changing American values while retaining its power to connect generations through shared celebration. Using primary sources, including court records and period writings, they illuminate how our holiday traditions, though often presented as ancient and unchanging, are dynamic expressions of cultural values that continue to evolve.

Find more episodes and resources at witchhuntshow.com. Follow us on social media @WitchHuntShow for updates and additional content.

Witch Hunt podcast

Remembering the Innocent Victims of the Connecticut Witch Trials

The Battle for Christmas: A Cultural History of America's Most Cherished Holiday by Stephen Nissenbaum

Christmas: A Candid History by Bruce David Forbes

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Welcome to our 40th episode! Enjoy a great conversation with Epoch Preservation’s Rachel Meyer. Epoch, a business on the North Shore of Massachusetts specializing in the preservation of burial grounds and their artifacts, has worked repairing grave sites broadly in Massachusetts including in Gloucester, Ipswich, Newbury, Salem, Revere, Saugus, Groveland, Methuen, Peabody, West Roxbury, and at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead Cemetery in Danvers. You have enjoyed Epoch’s Facebook live worksite tours, and you probably have heard Rachel on other podcasts, so you know that you are in for a treat! There is so much to take away from her gravestone preservation expertise and personable and engaging education style. We also connect historical social injustices to our advocacy questions: Why do we witch hunt? How do we witch hunt? How do we stop hunting witches?

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In this episode of Witch Hunt, host Josh Hutchinson explores the life and tragic fate of John Procter, a victim of the Salem Witch Trials. Hutchinson begins by introducing the real John Procter, contrasting him with Arthur Miller's portrayal in "The Crucible." The episode delves into Procter's background and family life, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the man behind the infamous trial.

The narrative unfolds with the events leading to John and Elizabeth Procter's accusations of witchcraft. Hutchinson details their examinations and trials, offering insight into the intense scrutiny and unfair treatment they faced. A highlight of the episode is John Procter's eloquent petition to ministers in Boston, which demonstrates his intelligence and desperation in the face of impending doom.

The podcast recounts the heartbreaking tale of the hangings, including John's execution and Elizabeth's narrow escape due to her pregnancy. Hutchinson then explores the aftermath of the trials for Elizabeth and the Procter children, shedding light on the long-lasting impact of the witch hunt on their family.

Listeners learn about the legal battles that ensued following the trials, including efforts to clear the Procters' names. The episode traces the timeline of these efforts, noting that Elizabeth's attainder was reversed in 1703, while John's was not cleared until 1711. The Massachusetts government's restitution payments to the Procter family in 1712 are also discussed, providing a sense of the belated attempts at justice.

Throughout the episode, Hutchinson shares notable quotes, including Elizabeth Procter's poignant statement during her examination: "I take God in heaven to be my witness that I know nothing of it, no more than the child unborn." These firsthand accounts bring the historical events to life, allowing listeners to connect more deeply with the Procters' experiences.

The show notes also mention the Massachusetts Witch Hunt Justice Project (massachusettswitchtrials.org) for those interested in supporting an official apology for the witch trials. This information provides listeners with a way to engage with the historical issues raised in the podcast.

Finally, the episode touches on the enduring legacy of John and Elizabeth Procter, mentioning that their farm was featured on HGTV's Farmhouse Fixer. This modern connection demonstrates how the story of the Procters continues to captivate public interest, bridging the gap between historical events and contemporary culture.

Emerson W. Baker, A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience

Mary Beth Norton, In the Devil's Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692

Bernard Rosenthal, editor, Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt

Daniel A. Gagnon, A Salem Witch: The Trial, Execution, and Exoneration of Rebecca Nurse

Marilynne K. Roach, The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-By-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege

Emerson W. Baker, The Devil of Great Island: Witchcraft and Conflict in Early New England

Stacy Schiff, The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem