Gukumatz

Sky god. Mayan (Quiche, classical Mesoamerican) [Guatemalan highlands]. The son of the creator gods E QUAHOLOM and E ALOM, and equating to the feathered serpent god of Aztec religion, QUETZALCOATL.

Haurun

Chthonic or earth god. Western Semitic (Canaanite). Haurun was introduced to Egyptian religion probably by émigré workers who related him to the sculpture of the Sphinx at Giza. Haurun was known locally as a god of healing.

Asis

Sun god. Suk and Pokot [Kenya and Uganda, East Africa]. These two tribes share the same pantheon. The younger brother of the supreme god of heaven TORORUT. In Nandi [Kenya] religion, Asis becomes the supreme creator god.

 

Artio

In Gallo-Roman religion, Artio was a goddess of the bear, and was worshipped at Berne, which actually means “bear”.

Ame-No-Toko-Tachi-No-Kami (deity standing eternally in heaven)

Primordial being. Shinto [Japan]. The fifth of the deities to emerge in the heavens, named in both the sacred texts of Shintoism, the Kojiki and Nihongi, but probably strongly influenced by Chinese religion. Born from a reed floating in the primeval waters.

AESIR

ORIGIN Icelandic (Nordic). The major race of sky gods in Norse religion.

KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP Viking period (circa AD 700) but developed earlier, until Christianization (circa AD 1100) and in some instances beyond.

SYNONYMS none known.

CENTER(S) OF CULT throughout areas of Nordic influence, particularly at Uppsala in Sweden.

Cherruve

by Clare Herlihy, Clarksville Middle School

 
The Cherruve were the spirits of the shooting stars in Araucanian mythology. The Araucanian Indians were located in Chile, South America, and were a fierce tribe of warriors. Nature was very important in the Araucanian Indian religion. Cherruve are often depicted as man-headed serpents in various Araucanian Indian artifacts such as pottery

Candomblé by Chris Lee

Candomblé, like Santeria, is a religion that has its origins in the Yoruba religion called Ifa. Similar to Vodou and Santeria, it developed when the slaves arrived in Brazil and where “converted” to the Catholic religion.

A Witch’s Thoughts on Halloween

Most people celebrate Halloween as a children’s holiday of candy and costumes.  However, I will be celebrating tonight as Samhain (“Sow-wen”), the Celtic New Year, the night for remembering loved ones past and looking toward the future. For I am a Neo-pagan, a follower of the Old Religion, a Wiccan.  I am a Witch.

“IF I CAN DO IT, ANYONE CAN!”

By Carol Ward

Chapter II

 

BROADENING YOUR HORIZONS

 

They say knowledge is power and I agree, learning is empowering. I find that the more I learn, the more interesting life becomes. I’m not talking about school type learning, (although obviously that’s great too) I’m talking about finding out more about anything and everything. My best inspiration for learning comes from movies. I’ll be watching a movie (or TV program or reading a book) and they’ll mention something, a country, religion, archeological find, strange happening, unusual weather phenomena etc and I’ll think, “hey, that sounds interesting!” My next stop will be the internet and/or my local library (aren’t libraries great!) and I’ll read and do research until I feel I know enough about the subject. That doesn’t mean I know everything about it, just what I need to satisfy myself. I’ve learned lots of amazing things this way and I never get tired of it, there’s always something else to learn about.