Strega Study

This blog was created as an attempt at unbiased research into the current information available on the traditions of Stregheria & Stregoneria. We will open and host discussions on our research, as well as compile resources. We hope to understand, solidify, and grow our practice through crowdsourcing stories, traditions, and information on the practices of Stregheria & Stregoneria, both archaic and modern. By Italians, for Italians.

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[stregastudy-blog]

Oh my gosh you're not even a native speaker WHY are you talking about cultural appropriation when it's only a word, a normal word, a word that in Italy is used freely in a lot of contexts, a word no one in Italy cares about and wants to defend from those evil evil fashion bloggers

One does not need to be a native speaker of a language to be oppressed by the way a language is used.

Strega is a word that is not only an earned title, a slur, or a word. It is all three, and it all depends on how it is being used.

It is a word that in Italy is used in conversation, as it is a part of the native language. Nobody is trying to police Italians on the use of their own language within their own country. 

Strega is a word that, once brought out of Italy, was used (and is still used) as a slur against Italian women. It is also used as a slur by Italians to suppress other Italians away from certain aspects of their heritage, specifically Stregheria. This stigma is more specific to Italian American culture than other Italian-X cultures. However, this is not to discount the fact that the stigma has been harmful for at least two generations. That’s a lot of Italians being kept from an aspect of their heritage- due to a negative stigma surrounding a word that evolved into a slur through the degradation of the craft said word is associated with. I’m going to repeat that and stick it on it’s own.

“Strega” is not ok to use to describe your aesthetic of “rags” and “spooky mysticism”, for the negative stigma surrounding the word which caused it to evolve into a slur has & had everything to do with the degradation of the craft the word is associated with through associating it with “spooky mysticism” and demonic arts. 

Do you see now the problem? The word “strega” became a slur partially because of the fear of the spooky, “demonic”, creepy aesthetic. Until we have been able to reconnect with our heritage and restore honor to the craft, nobody should be using it to describe their aesthetic. 

For example, I still have relatives who refuse to associate with me because of my associations with the craft, and my refusal to hide my association with it. I’ve heard so many stories from other Italian-descent people who have estranged family members, or who have weird traditions and stigmas, or who have serious taboos surrounding and/or because of the association with the craft/old tradition.

As for “those evil evil fashion bloggers”, the only reason they’d be evil is that once brought to light on how what they are doing is harmful to certain people, they outright deny the problematic aspects of what they are doing. Not to mention “Strega Style” is literally a special snowflake version of something that already exists - which means it was created to fuel one bloggers ego and conflate their importance beyond reality, and nothing more. Oh my gosh.

[the-stitchess-deactivated201910]

The fashion style is literally just dark mori. Mori was a very short lived style in Japan and has pretty much always had a stronger foothold in the west. It was based on western styles to begin with! There is no reason to favor “Strega fashion” over “dark mori” when there was nothing wrong with the original term.

[stregastudy-blog]

^^^This is exactly what I've been saying on my personal blog. It would be different maybe if "strega fashion" actually came from Italy like Mori has come from Japan. Just come up with another name for it if it's that different from "Dark Mori" (which it's really not, sorry lol) but instead use an English name. Since, ya'know, it was made by Westerners. -Mod Asa

[stregastudy-blog]

Oh my gosh you're not even a native speaker WHY are you talking about cultural appropriation when it's only a word, a normal word, a word that in Italy is used freely in a lot of contexts, a word no one in Italy cares about and wants to defend from those evil evil fashion bloggers

One does not need to be a native speaker of a language to be oppressed by the way a language is used.

Strega is a word that is not only an earned title, a slur, or a word. It is all three, and it all depends on how it is being used.

It is a word that in Italy is used in conversation, as it is a part of the native language. Nobody is trying to police Italians on the use of their own language within their own country. 

Strega is a word that, once brought out of Italy, was used (and is still used) as a slur against Italian women. It is also used as a slur by Italians to suppress other Italians away from certain aspects of their heritage, specifically Stregheria. This stigma is more specific to Italian American culture than other Italian-X cultures. However, this is not to discount the fact that the stigma has been harmful for at least two generations. That’s a lot of Italians being kept from an aspect of their heritage- due to a negative stigma surrounding a word that evolved into a slur through the degradation of the craft said word is associated with. I’m going to repeat that and stick it on it’s own.

“Strega” is not ok to use to describe your aesthetic of “rags” and “spooky mysticism”, for the negative stigma surrounding the word which caused it to evolve into a slur has & had everything to do with the degradation of the craft the word is associated with through associating it with “spooky mysticism” and demonic arts. 

Do you see now the problem? The word “strega” became a slur partially because of the fear of the spooky, “demonic”, creepy aesthetic. Until we have been able to reconnect with our heritage and restore honor to the craft, nobody should be using it to describe their aesthetic. 

For example, I still have relatives who refuse to associate with me because of my associations with the craft, and my refusal to hide my association with it. I’ve heard so many stories from other Italian-descent people who have estranged family members, or who have weird traditions and stigmas, or who have serious taboos surrounding and/or because of the association with the craft/old tradition.

As for “those evil evil fashion bloggers”, the only reason they’d be evil is that once brought to light on how what they are doing is harmful to certain people, they outright deny the problematic aspects of what they are doing. Not to mention “Strega Style” is literally a special snowflake version of something that already exists - which means it was created to fuel one bloggers ego and conflate their importance beyond reality, and nothing more. Oh my gosh.

[stregastudy-blog]

thank you for being kind about your response to me, i know many people would've torn me a new one. would you find that "forest folklore goth" would be a better option? goth in general is a very broad category, and i personally find dark mori to be for japanese influenced rather than european.

That sounds beautiful, in my singular opinion.

[neveira-the-witch]

is stregheria a closed religion even to italians?

I can try to answer your question but I’m not part of the stregheria.

You see, I’m from Italy and technically I’m a “strega” simply because this word means “witch” in Italian. It’s a generic word exactly like in English. I’m a secular witch, I appreciate my Italian witchy roots but I’m not Pagan.

I can tell you what I know about stregheria but for further questions I’d suggest to talk to @draelogor or to ask @stregastudy. Or see www.stregheria.com

Stregheria is not very well known here. I know it was born in my land, Sicily, but noone is aware of it (at least noone I have ever spoken to). We just use the word “stregoneria” which literally means “witchcraft” and it has not a positive meaning. People here associate witchcraft with bad luck, woodoo, non-Christian heretic people. Sicily is that kind of land where elders sit outside of their houses to judge whoever they see passing by. Any kind of magic is not well seen here.

Sicily is a mysterious land but magical practices are kept secret. It’s a land where everyone is jealous of their secrets

I’m saying this to explain it’s not easy to get this kind of info here.

But I know that Stregheria is known as the “Italian witchcraft” and “The Old Religion”. I don’t think it’s a closed religion here. But I am young and I can’t talk in the name of my whole country.

If it were for me anyone could practice whatever they wanted.

But, again, that’s just my opinion.

[stregastudy-blog]

i recently learned of the term "strega" in reference to a goth fashion style; one in which i often dress. would it be appropriation if i, a white non-italian, were to use the term in reference to my fashion choices? if so, what do you think is an acceptable alternative?

Please refrain from using Strega as an aesthetic [X|X|X|X]

Goth, Dark Mori [X], “Witchy” (though the general Witch aesthetic has roots in antisemitism) - the communities (both pagan and fashion) have been creative in coming up with a sum of acceptable, non offensive titles spanning different cultures and evoking many aesthetics. 

irrelevant comment: my personal favorite trend is people getting super specific with their aesthetics:  space bird 1986 or rockabilly north pole

[siciliancunningcraft]

I thought I’d do a little ‘show and tell’. Many of you have seen my previous post discussing the cornicello, the said post featuring my own horn. Well I have since taken my horn to be upgraded a bit by adding a large ruby that my mother had given me (she gifted me the entire horn a few years back). I’ve been wanting to do this for a number of reasons: 1) its pretty isn’t it?! 2) the traditional colour of the cornetto is red and this blood red ruby will give it that traditional colour 3) and the ruby itself is an extremely powerful and protective stone which lends its energy to that of the corno and of course my own energy.

As I’ve stated before, the horn is an iconic symbol of our folk religion and possibly its oldest, I love utilizing them in my day to day life and even more so when the time calls for it! Just thought I’d share. S'abbinirica.

[gothiccharmschool]

This "strega fashion" thing is so inappropriate. Most of you guys arent even italian. Im really sad and disappointed that you support it.

I thought that the latest discussions about the term ended up with people deciding that using the Italian word for witch to describe the fashion was not appropriative? It doesn’t seem any more appropriative to me than someone using the English word “witch”. 

I also use another term I’ve seen: “Black Forest Mori”, but other people didn’t latch onto it has strongly as they did “strega”. 

BUT, I’m interested in hearing what other people think! So let’s open this up for discussion - speak up folks! Using the word “strega” as in “strega fashion” - okay, or appropriative as hell and we should knock it off?

[postgraduategoth]

I have stated before that I do not believe that culture is “stolen” or “appropriated” except in those now-rare occasions when it is physically removed and smuggled away. The Elgin marbles, anyone? Having an appreciation, even a “shallow” trendy one, of cultural ideas and artifacts not your own is not some sort of intellectual larceny, but rather intellectual and aesthetic curiosity, which is a healthy, worthwhile thing. Too many people are completely hidebound in their own cultural norms: they won’t learn another language, if they ever visit a foreign country, they eat at MacDonald’s, and they spend the entire trip bitching about how it’s “not like home.” (Some people behave that way when they visit a new city or state in their own country!) They are not open to any experience beyond the ones with which they are already familiar and comfortable. This is sad. The open-minded, open-hearted willingness to explore the world in other terms brings depth and soulfulness to your life, even if the exploration is limited to tasting some unfamiliar foods and wines, learning a few halting words of a foreign language (my French is pretty dismal!) looking at some new art, seeing a movie with subtitles or just trying out a fashion statement (“Check out my new T-shirt! It has a mandala on it!”) is intellectually and spiritually beneficial, even if the results are comparatively simple and short-term. Taking a Yoga class will not make you a Hindu any more than having tea and scones will make you British, but it could conceivably make you stronger, healthier and more flexible both physically and mentally. Tea and scones are merely delicious. Both are a win-win in my book.

You don’t have to be born in a country or even descended from people who immigrated from that country to have a fascination, even love for its history, culture, aesthetics, and even its folklore. Joseph Campbell spent about 50 years studying the religions and mythological traditions of world cultures, drawing comparisons, finding similarities and using his findings to fuel a more profound understanding of what it means to be human. Was he “stealing” from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians when he drew parallels between the solar deities Amon- Ra  and Apollo? When he traced heroes’ quests through various cultures?

I would ask your anonymous poster who feels his/her forebears were “forcibly Americanized to consider this: did they arrive voluntarily? Were they fleeing from a depressed economic situation, and did their economic condition improve when they arrived in the US? Did they have greater opportunities, greater personal freedom or greater upward mobility? Are they sorry they left the “old country”? If you want t re-connect with your Italian past, by all means do so. Learn the language ( word of warning: I have tried to learn Italian. It is a gorgeous, melodious, silken language, and a complete and utter bitch to master. I was reduced to tears and desperate phone calls to a brilliant and multi-lingual friend who talked me down of the window ledge. Still can’t say much more than “Hello, how are you, it’s nice to meet you and I’ll have the fettucine alfredo.”) Read Dante, D'Anunnzio and Calvino, and of course, visit Italy, bearing in mind that for all its relatively small geographic size, Italy was once a collection of competing, and independent city-states, so Rome is culturally and even linguistically very different from Milan or Venice or Capri or Florence or Naples or Sicily etc. There are a lot of layers of cultural complexity (and superb food!) to explore. 

What you SHOULD NOT DO is try to deny anybody else the chance to experience and explore and Italy in terms driven by their own individual interests: linguistic, literary, historic, aesthetic, mythological or even fashion. They are not “appropriating” anything by listening to Verdi, loving Botticelli or Frangelico, marveling at the architecture of Renzo Piano, watching Fellini movies ( I saw a bunch of them in film class) or wearing Gucci loafers. Is it wrong to covet BVLGARI (yes; that’s how they style it), Nardi or Buccellati? No; it just makes you a person of sophistication and taste. Unless you are actually shoplifting, you are not stealing anything.  

All over the world, people are listening to hip-hop music, wearing Addidas or Nike sneakers, watching American movies and TV shows, reading Marvel comic books, eating hamburgers, posting on Facebook, using Apple computers and trying desperately to get into American universities. They are not "appropriating” American culture; they are appreciating it.

The “strega” style is just an accessible version of the 2013 “witchy woman” couture look Hedi Slimane presented to enormous acclaim a couple of years ago. Wearing either version does not mean that you are trying to “be” Italian, any more than wearing the YSL "Russian" collection meant you were trying to be a Cossack or Ralph Lauren’s western-influenced looks mean you’re going to go out on the back 40 and rope a steer. Conversely, I completely understand that people of Romani heritage object to clothing styles described as “gypsy” as they view this as a slur, and I respect that. “Boho” will cover the concept nicely and ethnic and/or racial slurs have no place in civil discourse, no matter how superficial or trifling the subject matter. If people want to dress like their idea of an Italian witch (few of us have actually met one) or a super hero or a British nanny or  in Kente cloth or as a vampire or in a kimono or squash blossom necklaces or  clothes from another era, they are just expressing a visual preference or intellectual curiosity. Nothing sinister. If the interest turns out to be superficial, they’ll move on to another visual trope; if the interest is profound, it might morph into their doctoral thesis.

On a personal note: speaking as someone whose ancestors were “forcibly Americanized” in the most literal and brutal possible way, I would humbly submit that while your immediate forebears might have traveled to Ellis Island steerage, at least they did not arrive as cargo. Why is it that the people who go on about cultural appropriation seem to have so little culture or sense of history?

Here endeth the rant. I hear li canto di sirena of a big glass of pinot grigio and a long hot bath, soaking in BVUGARI-scented bubbles. I must settle my nerves.

[draelogor-blog]

Last checked the Mori fashions are 100% ok to emulate as they even have global ambassadors.

Eating a hamburger=/= using an earned title from a closed aspect of a culture to, ah, describe your aesthetic -which is problematic as the aesthetic itself perpetuates LITERALLY all of the anti-italian stigmas present when the word was Demonized. Layered rags, were not a  choice. 

& uh… How dare you condemn our ancestors, who fled for familia and the future of their children, buried the cultures and assimilated into whatever they had to for family? I’ll be over here picking up the pieces and not condemning them, as their past sacrifice has led to my immediate family having a level of privilege, and I am not going to condemn them for that. 

There’s also a difference between helping someone find lost aspects of their culture, and straight up using a word from it as your aesthetic with no helping hand towards the rebuilders. Huge difference. 

As for little cultural sense of history stregastudy there you go. I, uh, am descendent from  a founder of the Italian American club.

 I think I know my history?  Italians were actually put in internment camps, for a time, and had to be forcibly americanized to avoid major discriminations. Not all of us came through Ellis Island, either, during the mass exodus of Italy. We are not here to compare the struggles of our ancestors to the struggles of anyone else. We stand in solidarity with the African Americans reclaiming their roots, with the Native Americans reclaiming their roots, with anyone who is doing any sort of reclaiming because we are not here to compare struggles. Do not compare the struggles of my ancestors to Literal Slavery that is not alright, just, no.

And by the way, I am a Strega. I earned that title. 10+ years of work to have my title synonymous with a problematic fashion (problematic as it perpetuates the negative stigmas my ancestors had to face (and I had to face, a bit of, growing up)), problematic as the blogger who “coined” the “Term” themselves said it is a twin of Dark Mori, which is an aesthetic perfectly alright to emulate as it is Japanese street fashion that they themselves want spread around?

So, kindly, stop. Not to mention so many italians globally feel so far estranged from their culture due to assimilation they don’t feel “italian enough” - the fact that that sentiment exists means that nobody who isn’t italian/of italian descent should be using aspects from CLOSED italian culture frivolously, as too many actually italian people aren’t even able to touch it. Simple, really.

To point it out again i’ve created a blog to explore italian history on a global scale, restore the Streghe & piece back together what we’ve lost. 

stregastudy I am not an authority (just a Strega doing the thing) and am doing the best I can, and if anyone would like to help please do. I know theres a couple people out there who have voiced that they want to help i need to refind you people :P

[trans-witch]

Any body out there actually practice stregheria ? Like any other practicing stregas out there? I can’t find you and I want to follow your blogs.

[draelogor-blog]

*emerges* yes hi ✨💙

[canyoun-n-n-not]

raises hand

[lostartofpostcards-deactivated2]

Dear Italian Americans,

Your history in this country is one that should not be forgotten.  You came here with the intention of giving your children a better life.  You worked hard to make your children speak English, become American, yet never forgetting where you came from.  The “Little Italy” sections of big cities today represent that assimilation yet at the same time show what an amazing culture of food, family, and passion you brought with you.  It is neighborhoods like these that break down Italian stereotypes and show who you truly are.  You used your hard work, Italian values, and the American dream to work through the struggles, the racism, and the hardship that turned you in to a successful group today.  A domani!

Love,

Me

[stregastudy-blog]

Seeking Streghe

If you are a Strega, or part of a group of Streghe, please reblog!

[pintu-blog1]

this is the last thing I will post about this fucking documentary but

if you are interested in learning about Italian American history and identity, here is a good place to start:

ANYTHING by Helen Barolini. Her introduction to the Dream Book: An Anthology of Italian American Women Writers is like my Bible. Her most well known work of fiction, Umbertina is a long novel but encompasses pretty much everything there is to be said about Italian American culture including: the Risorgimento and the Southern Question, gender roles, class anxiety, religion, tenement life, language loss, etc. It is long though. You may want to read Chiaroscuro: Essays of Identity as well, which is far more brief and strictly autobiographic. All in all homegirl KNOWS HER SHIT and tells it from a feminist perspective so I love her.

Anything by Fred Gardaphè. I’ve read Dagoes Read which is a collection of literary criticism, which will direct you to other figures in Italian America literature (he writes about Barolini, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Pietro DiDonato, etc.) Also read “Beyond the Basement: A Manifesto for Italian American Studies”

The Fortunate Pilgrim by Mario Puzo. This is the author of the Godfather books, and it is far more genuine and comprehensive than the Godfather and the Sicilian but it’s not about La Cosa Nostra therefore it never gained any commercial success. There’s also a TV miniseries about it starring Sophia Loren and John Turturro; I hear it’s absolutely awful and nothing like the book but… it’s Sophia Loren and John Turturro so someone should buy it for me lol.

Nation-State and Cultural Diversity In Italy by Giavanna Campani and Zoran Lapov, downloadable here. Personally I think it is a good introduction to the Risorgimento and the idea of the “Southern Question." 

The documentary Sacco & Vanzetti, which is available on Netflix Instant. Also my boo John Turturro narrates some of Vanzetti’s prison letters.

Some more films: Nuovomondo or "The Golden Door” which is on Netflix Instant. 

If you’re feeling adventurous, read the English translation of Terroni by Pino Aprile. It’s very informative but it’s somewhat of an arduous read, especially if you have a limited knowledge of Italian history and politics. I don’t know what any of my italian followers think about it (vi piace? tutte cazzate? troppo nostalgia per i borboni? ditemi) but honestly I find Aprile’s argument pretty convincing.

I stumbled upon this site the other day searching for the title of a book. It talks about Italian Americans and race and links to some interesting books and articles (a couple of which I’ve read excerpts from.) It also contains Almamagretta lyrics which I thought was cute lol

And there you have it people: this is what I do with my free time, and this is how I justify sticking with Italian as a major. 

[stregastudy-blog]

PBS film on Italian-Americans shows forgotten, painful history | Di Ionno

This is about history. It's about why we came. All the peasants of Southern Italy ever wanted was fairness." Lou Di Palo.

KEEP READING

MORE ON THE ITALIAN AMERICANS

[readytostare]

Read my new blog “I’m Not Your Snooki” over at www.readytostare.com/blog 

[stregastudy-blog]

click to read

[reverseracism]

Could Italians be considered non white or have their own culture to be appropriated..?

Cultures can be appropriated, but power dynamics are very important when determining the impact that may come from the harm of it.

Keep in mind there are Italians who can choose to identify with the term people of color.

I’d assume many Italian Americans identify as white in the US, but I’ve heard and witness many cases where they identified as non-white or stressed on ethnicity first. I’d assume that in Italy identity is based more on ethnicity than race in many cases until superiority complexes and bigotry kicks.

~Eon

[stregastudy-blog]

Certain aspects of Italian culture, such as the closed practice of Stregheria, can be appropriated. The Streghe and practitioners of the old religions and crafts have been actively discriminated against, suppressed, and according to some texts actively hunted throughout history. There are now efforts to reclaim and rebuild aspects of the culture lost to assimilation, the Catholic influence, etcetera.  

Italians have a complex history with white-ness, and were discriminated against as people of color when first emigrating to non-mediterranean lands. There have been, and still are, power dynamics which keep Italians of all nationalities from aspects of their heritage.

In the US, most Italian Americans identify on the census as white, but do not benefit from white privilege-in a social sense. While not facing institutionalized oppressions anything near the level of what Mulsims and African Americans continue to face, social stigmas and spill over from when Italians were actively discriminated against still exist today.

Italian American women have had to reclaim the beauty of their own bodies. Women with excess hair in mainstream society are considered less than, and as many Italian women know, we have hair. Almond shaped eyes, common among the people who can trace their ancestry back to the Mediterranean, are considered exotic (a problematic term). Pale skin is favored as a trait, something the olive-and darker- italians learn when dealing with the media. 

Many Italian Americans are raised under the umbrella that they are not white, have never been white, and are Italian. They should be proud of their Italian roots, Italian ancestry, and Italian ethics. The Italians fought hard and endured many struggles, and should not pretend to be what they are not, should not cross the line and accept being “Accepted” by the oppressors, as there was no need to change for acceptance, and we are done changing. Honor your ancestors’ struggle and embrace your heritage, as they could not. 

Many other Italian Americans are on the other end of the spectrum. Embracing earned whiteness as a privilege hard fought and hard won. Why take a step back when you can stand tall? We should be glad to finally be accepted by those who oppressed us, be glad that they finally see us as them and not as an other. Honor your ancestors’ struggle and embrace the white.

I can’t speak for what goes on in Italy, but I do know racism in Italy is still present and prevalent, but not as bad as it could be, or just as bad as ever, depending on who you ask.

[stregastudy-blog]

Aradia, Gospel of the Witches

by Charles Godfrey Leland

Purchase on Amazon

Read online

Sacred-Texts.com

PaganLibrary.com

Archive.org

[stregastudy-blog]

Seeking Streghe

If you are a Strega, or part of a group of Streghe, please reblog!