Continuing my thinking about Brazilian Wicca.
The Pagans I met in Sao Paulo were notably young. I’d say ninety percent of them were under the age of 35, and most were in their early-to-mid-twenties.. Many were college students.
I am reminded that in the 1970s and 80s, American Paganism was very much a Baby Boomer phenomenon. I recall one year (’89? ’90?) I looked around a festival and thought, ‘If this movement just ages with us, it will die.’ The next year, not only did I see a massive influx of younger Pagans, but older ones as well, so that now, American Pagan events almost always show a full life-cycle range.
Brazil isn’t there yet, but I see no reason it won’t get there.
Another thing I noticed was, in the small group of people I spoke with (the ones who spoke English), fully three people had their moms with them, including the organizer. None of the moms, I think, were Pagan. This is a remarkable level of acceptance, not something I’ve seen in the U.S. I wonder if the prevalence of Candomblé influences tese Brazilians to be more open to a variety of religious paths.
Interesting about the moms.
I was struck, more this year than usual, by the presence of the pagan next generation at Free Spirit. Having not been around the community as long as you have, it’s taken me a few years to watch the little kids I have known start looking like junior pagan adults.
We better be nice to them. They know magic and shit.
I am stunned, really shocked, when these little kids I knew who are now adults still want to hang out with me. When someone like Samantha is genuinely happy to see me, I’m floored. I’m just this old fart who used to carry her around, and she’s got this whole community of cooler, younger folks. But they are really integrated into a community that loves them, and they love back, and it makes me very happy.
It was Samantha that got me as well. These kids are old enough to rebel against their hippie parents and go all Alex P. Keaton on their asses, but they aren’t doing that. Arthur, Kendra… all those One Hat Band kids (that are having their own kids). Stunning.