Not unlike my activities on this occasion (in April), this occasion (in May), and this occasion (nine days ago!), I found myself today entertaining off-island guests: mystes, co-religionist, and Meet-Up attendee from the other day Jay (who was also at the first links/the April occasion I gave above), and another friend who is an Assistai and Celtic/lycanthropic co-religionist, whose blog is here, came up today to hang out, see the usual sights/sites, and eat. I’ve not seen the latter in-person since early August of 2011.
If they could make it up here once every four months, that would be lovely! We shall see…
There was much talk of polytheism and modern paganism, and quite a bit on “what we’d do if we had lots of money” in relation to these things (usually involving buying large tracts of land, building temples or monasteries or castles or what-have-you, etc.), and we saw the usual places of Mt. Erie, Cap Sante, Washington Park, and Causland Park (for a bit of variation!), where we ate and chatted, and noticed that the memorial plaque in the park, dedicated after World War I, mentioned the “one hundred immortals” who were from the island and the islands nearby who died in service in WWI. Intriguing phrasing there…Furthermore, on Mt. Erie, there were flowers left at one of the memorial plaques, and when I sat on the new memorial bench, I noticed something I’ve never seen before, but which has been there for a while: a chain underneath the plaque that shows the local landmarks had about twenty locks of various types on it. Why? They were clearly left by lots of people over time–as offerings? As magic to “bind” people from falling off the mountain in the future? Hard to say…but they’re there, and it’s intriguing! I also noticed a lake I’ve never seen before toward the west side of the island…no idea how one would get to it, but there it was!
So, all of this going around the same places has its own splendor and further discovery attached to it! All the more reason to do it and keep doing it, even with repeat visitors!
I honestly can’t recall where at the moment, but I do remember reading an article once on a particular place where couples would come to leave locks as a reminder of their love and to stay together, I suppose. The whole place where these locks were hung onto was littered with them. It was quite interesting actually. Almost like a modern binding-love spell.
By: Nykti on August 25, 2012
at 11:22 pm
Interesting!
That’s probably what this is, on further consideration. I have actually seen, once when I visited the place, a wedding that was going to take place right there at the overlook. So, perhaps that’s what’s going on…
By: aediculaantinoi on August 26, 2012
at 5:45 pm
Although I was unable to see the shrine in person, there is one in Afghanistan, dedicated to a Sufi saint, where people leave both silk scarves and locks as tributes.
By: Signy Ragnvaldsdottir on August 26, 2012
at 10:52 am
Fascinating!
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at 5:45 pm
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