Emma Kathryn Wild Witchcraft

Fresh from the Morris Federation Day of Dance at the weekend, I feel like I’m well and truly entrenched in the world of folk…and it’s great! This coming weekend though, the bells, sticks and hankies won’t be coming out as I head down to London for the The Black British Folk Takeover at Cecil Sharp House.

I am so excited about this event, partly because it’s full of fantastically talented musicians, some who I really admire (am I going to fan girl? Probably!) , partly because I’m going to talk about Obeah and other folk traditions and practices (and you know I can talk the back legs off a donkey about that), but also because this is the first event of it’s kind, history in the making.

‘Folk’ includes music, dance, stories and lore, and for me, folk is a product of the people, by the people, for the people. Folk is a living tradition that stretches back into our shared histories while being shaped by the present. Folk is a beautiful tapestry made up of all those individual threads and woven together to form a wealth of knowledge and a way of living. In this way, folk is for everyone.

Regular readers will know I have a special place in my heart for folklore, especially relating to nature, magic and witchcraft, but of course it is so much more than that, indeed, it is a whole world of wonder!

So, who can you expect to see at The Black British Folk Takeover? Well, you can head on over to the English Folk Dance and Song Society website to find out more (and grab a ticket too!).

Whether you make it or not, remember, folk is for everyone, and for everyone it can add beauty and magic to your everyday lives, something that is more important than ever.