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Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials FestivalsHalloween and Day of the Dead come together at Salinas’ Paper Tacos.FestivalsCelebrate Day of the Dead at Alebrijes in Downtown Las Vegas FestivalsDay of the Dead Festival FestivalsDay Of The Dead Festival Hispanic Heritage Divination"Divining with the Elements: A Conversation about Astrology" with KL Mays and Alice Sparkly Kat Stage magicWhat Was Halloween Like 100 Years Ago?DivinationThe GPT Oracle: 1 in 10 Americans are reviving the pagan practice of prophecy Living traditionsVoodoo and the School System in Haiti Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials Witch-huntsSNP councillors ignore potholes to demand apology for historic witch trials FestivalsHalloween and Day of the Dead come together at Salinas’ Paper Tacos.FestivalsCelebrate Day of the Dead at Alebrijes in Downtown Las Vegas FestivalsDay of the Dead Festival FestivalsDay Of The Dead Festival Hispanic Heritage Divination"Divining with the Elements: A Conversation about Astrology" with KL Mays and Alice Sparkly Kat Stage magicWhat Was Halloween Like 100 Years Ago?DivinationThe GPT Oracle: 1 in 10 Americans are reviving the pagan practice of prophecy Living traditionsVoodoo and the School System in Haiti

EveryJaadu

All entries

1,332 entries so far, best known first. 4,752 more are on the list to be written. Narrow by region, kind, purpose, practitioner, belief world, occasion or how alive it is.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

RegionSouth Asia Southeast Asia East Asia Central Asia and the Caucasus Middle East North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Europe North America Latin America and the Caribbean Oceania

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇨🇳 China and 4 moreKitchen God灶君 The Chinese hearth deity who reports domestic conduct to the Jade EmperorBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇫🇷 France and 5 moreYule log A large wooden log burned in the hearth during winter festivals across Europe and North America.Tradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 7 moreMakar Sankrantiमकरसङ्क्रान्ति A solar festival marking the sun's northward shift and the winter harvest across South Asia.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreDragon's blood A bright red resin from several plant species used in magic, medicine, and art since antiquitySubstance · Healing · Protection Living

🇮🇩 IndonesiaNyepiᬜᬾᬧᬶ A Balinese day of total silence, fasting, and self-reflection to mark the new year.Rite · Cleansing and purification · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇻🇳 Vietnam and 5 moreTếtTết Nguyên Đán The Vietnamese lunisolar new year and the most important annual celebration in VietnamTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreFirst-footciad-chuairt The first visitor on New Year's Day, believed to set the household's fortune for the year aheadTradition · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 JapanOmamori御守/お守り Japanese amulets from shrines and temples for luck and protectionCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇪🇸 Spain and 6 moreBurning of Judas An Easter rite where an effigy of the betrayer is destroyed by fire or other meansRite · Cursing and harm · Cleansing and purification Living

🇫🇮 Finland and 5 moreMolybdomancy A divination method using molten metal poured into water to read omensRite · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Living

🇰🇷 South KoreaGut굿 Rites performed by Korean shamans to commune with spirits and ensure community welfare.Rite · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇫🇷 France and 4 moreRéveillon A long Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner held to stay awake until morningTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇳🇬 Nigeria and 3 moreYemọjaYemoja A mother spirit of rivers and oceans worshipped across Yoruba and diaspora traditionsBeing · Protection · Healing Living

🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 morePrayer flagLung ta Cloth banners printed with mantras, hung in high places to spread blessings on the windCharm · Protection · Cleansing and purification Living

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreCrossroads (folklore) A junction between worlds where spirits are met and deals are madeBelief · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Cursing and harm Living

🇲🇳 Mongolia and 1 moreTsagaan SarЦагаан сар A Mongol lunisolar new year marked by white clothes and dairy feastsTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇩 IndonesiaOgoh-ogohᬳᭀᬕᭀᬄ ᬳᭀᬕᭀᬄ Balinese sculptures paraded and burned to cleanse the environment before NyepiTradition · Cursing and harm · Cleansing and purification Living

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreJoss paper金紙 Paper burned as money and goods for ancestors, gods and the deadCharm · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 JapanSetsubun節分 A Japanese seasonal rite to drive away bad luck and welcome spring with roasted beansRite · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 JapanOfudaお札/御札 (ofuda) Paper and wooden talismans from Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist templesCharm · Protection · Cleansing and purification Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreChaharshanbe Suriچهارشنبه‌سوری An Iranian fire festival marking the transition from winter to springTradition · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 7 moreNowruzنوروز A spring equinox festival marking the new year across Persianate culturesTradition · Luck and prosperity · Cleansing and purification Living

🇮🇸 Iceland and 1 moreHidden-folkhuldufólk Supernatural beings in Nordic folklore who live in a parallel world within the landscape.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreBonfire A large outdoor fire used in seasonal festivals and religious feasts across many culturesRite · Cleansing and purification · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇨🇳 ChinaNian年兽 (Nián shòu) A mythical creature linked to Chinese New Year customs and the lion danceFigure · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreMenshen門神 Guardian figures pasted to doors in Chinese folk religion to protect homes from evil.Belief · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDaeboreum대보름 A Korean lunar holiday marking the first full moon with nut-cracking and field firesTradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇬🇧 United KingdomMari LwydY Fari Lwyd A Welsh winter custom featuring a horse skull carried through villages for song and hospitality.Rite · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Revived

🇹🇭 ThailandSongkranสงกรานต์ The Thai solar New Year marked by water rituals and sand pagodasTradition · Cleansing and purification · Luck and prosperity Living

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreSky lantern天燈 A paper hot air balloon lifted by flame to carry wishes and blessingsRite · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living

🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreEleguaÈṣù-Ẹlẹ́gbára A Yoruba deity of crossroads and messenger who opens all spiritual pathsBeing · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇱🇻 Latvia and 1 moreLatvian mythology A collection of myths about gods, spirits, and the afterlife from the Baltic region.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living

🇯🇵 JapanDaruma doll達磨 A round Japanese talisman that rights itself when knocked overCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living 🇬🇭 Ghana and 1 moreAkan religionAkom Traditional beliefs of the Akan people, centered on a distant creator and nature spirits.Tradition · Protection · Healing Living

🇨🇿 Czech RepublicCzech folklore The folk traditions of the Czech people, from seasonal rites to music and craft.Tradition · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreHobby horse A costumed character made from wood or cloth used in seasonal folk customs and processions.Illusion · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreMummers' play A folk drama featuring a fight and a resurrection, performed by amateur troupes in the British Isles.Rite · Luck and prosperity · Speaking with spirits and the dead Revived 🇯🇵 JapanYutaユタ Okinawan folk shamans who guide families through spirits and fortune-tellingTradition · Protection · Healing Living

🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 5 moreKukeriкукери A costumed ritual in Bulgaria to chase away evil spirits and welcome springRite · Protection · Cursing and harm Living

🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreWinter solstice The shortest day and longest night of the year, marked by rites of solar returnTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Protection Living 🇬🇧 United KingdomTarot (sample) A deck of cards read for guidance.Oracle · Seeing and foretelling Living 🇮🇳 IndiaNew moon cleansing (sample) Smoke and water used to mark a lunar month.Rite · Cleansing and purification Fading 🇯🇵 JapanOmamori (sample)お守り A small shrine charm in a brocade pouch.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreKallikantzarosκαλικάντζαρος A malevolent goblin that dwells underground and surfaces during the twelve days of Christmas.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical

🇯🇵 JapanHatsuyume初夢 The first dream of the new year and its traditional omensBelief · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 JapanHamaya破魔矢 A blunt arrow given at shrines to ward off evil and secure good luck for the new yearCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreZhengde Tongbao正德通寶 A fantasy cash coin used as a Chinese and Vietnamese amulet for luck and protection.Charm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living 🇯🇵 JapanJapanese superstitions Common beliefs in Japan about luck, numbers, and omens rooted in language and customBelief · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Yule log: Pehr Arvid Säve (1811—1887), Public domain, source
Kallikantzaros: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Crossroads (folklore): MiddleOfAfrica, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Hatsuyume: Takeuchi Seihō, Public domain, source
Tsagaan Sar: User:Chinneeb, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ogoh-ogoh: Simondodit, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Hamaya: Tomomarusan, CC BY 2.5, source
Joss paper: Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Setsubun: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ofuda: 教派研究 (Sectarian research), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Chaharshanbe Suri: Philippe Giabbanelli, CC BY 3.0, source
Nowruz: Katzenfee50, CC0, source
Hidden-folk: Schorle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bonfire: S Marshall, CC BY 3.0, source
Menshen: Taiwankengo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Daeboreum: hojusaram, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Mari Lwyd: Thomas Christopher Evans (Cadrawd), Public domain, source
Songkran: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, CC BY 3.0, source
Sky lantern: Richy, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Elegua: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, source
Latvian mythology: Dezidor, CC BY 3.0, source
Daruma doll: Crisco 1492, Public domain, source
Czech folklore: Biser Todorov, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Hobby horse: Timkevan at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Mummers' play: Aladjov, CC BY 3.0, source
Kukeri: Nenko Lazarov, CC BY 2.5, source
Winter solstice: Image by Przemyslaw " Blueshade " Idzkiewicz, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Makar Sankranti: Saloni Desai, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Dragon's blood: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Nyepi: Matt Croxson, Public domain, source
Tết: vi:Lưu Ly, Public domain, source
Omamori: Leongboy1, Public domain, source
Burning of Judas: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Molybdomancy: Micha L. Rieser, Attribution, source
Gut: ReSearcher at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Yemọja: Samuel Tobbytex007, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Prayer flag: Wotan, CC BY 2.5, source

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven entries you may not know, what is on the calendar this week, and one rite drawn step by step.