The autumn equinox, also known as Mabon, is a significant time for Pagans. It marks the transition from summer to autumn and is a time to give thanks for the bountiful harvest and to prepare for the colder months ahead. During this time, Pagans engage in various practices and rituals to celebrate and honor the changing seasons. One common practice is creating an altar or sacred space. This may involve decorating with symbols of the harvest, such as gourds, cornucopias, and autumn leaves. The altar is often adorned with offerings of food, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, which are later shared as a communal feast.
Witch Prophet
Witch Prophet is a queer, Ethiopian/Eritrean singer-songwriter, and the Co-CEO of Heart Lake Records. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats: think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Portishead. She finds depth and connection in creating music as a portal for self-growth and discovery, as she navigates and better understands her cultural and queer identity.
Witch Prophet has shared the stage with and opened for acts like THEESatisfaction, Shabazz Palaces, Lido Pimienta, A Tribe Called Red, Climbing Poetree, SAMMUS, Sean Leon, JPEGMAFIA, The Cliks, Rae Spoon, Zaki Ibrahim, Kae Sun, and LAL, to name a few.
Her vocals have appeared on Shad's Flying Colours LP (2013), 2009's Polaris Prize winner Fucked Up's LP Dose your Dreams (2018), as well as DillanPonders’ newest album Because We’re Alive (2020). She has toured Europe independently twice, playing shows in Paris, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin, and performed at North American and European music festivals including Black Women Rock, New Skool Rules, Soul Of Brooklyn, Allied Media Conference, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sappy Fest, Electric Eclectic, Summerworks, Ottawa Capital Pride, Pride Toronto, Pop Montreal, and Halifax Pop Explosion.
Witch Prophet released her Ontario Arts Council-funded sophomore LP DNA Activation in 2020, an ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul and RnB with songs sung in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya. Co-produced by herself and her partner SUN SUN, praised by press and music lovers alike, DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. She has since been signed to Ki An Projects, a new label in the UK for the release of a deluxe edition of DNA Activation. The video for her song Tesfay directed by Leah Vlemmiks was nominated for the 2021 Prism Prize and was an official selection at the 2021 SXSW Music Video awards.
Witch Prophet
Witch Prophet is a queer, Ethiopian/Eritrean singer-songwriter based in Toronto. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats. Think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Jill Scott. Her EPs H.P.B. and Architect of Heartbreak Remixes were met with great praise when released in 2016 and 2017, as was her highly anticipated album The Golden Octave , released via her own label Heart Lake Records in 2018.
In March of 2020, Witch Prophet released her Ontario Arts Council funded sophomore LP DNA Activation , an ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing jazz, hip-hop, soul and R&B, with songs sung in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya. Co-produced by herself and her partner Sun Sun, and praised by press and music lovers alike, DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.
“[Witch Prophet’s] dreamy blend of R&B is equal parts KING and Control era Janet Jackson” – Bandcamp
“Choose your own dosage, but Witch Prophet’s woozy r&b song for healing is meant to be put on repeat” – NPR
“…the [Architect of Heartbreak] remixes are a striking testament to the strength of the original track, and to the wide appeal and versatility of Witch Prophet’s sound” – NOW Magazine
“H.P.B. is only four songs long, but you can revel in the intersection of its soul, R&B and hip-hop nods for days.” – CBC Music
Past Appearances
February 27, 2021 @ 7:00 pm
Witch Prophet
Witch Prophet is a queer, East African, singer-songwriter, and the Co-CEO of Heart Lake Records. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats. Think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Portishead. She finds depth and connection in creating music as a portal for self-growth and discovery, as she navigates and better understands her cultural and queer identity.
She has shared the stage with and opened for acts like Lido Pimienta, Shabazz Palaces, THEESatisfaction, The Hallucination (fka A Tribe Called Red), SAMMUS, Sean Leon, JPEGMAFIA, Climbing Poetree and Zaki Ibrahim to name a few.
Her vocals have appeared on Shad’s “Flying Colours” LP (2013), 2009’s Polaris Prize winner Fucked Up’s LP “Dose your Dreams” (2018), as well as DillanPonders newest album “Because We’re Alive” (2020). She has toured Europe independently twice; playing shows in Paris, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin, as well as performed at North American and European music festivals like: Black Women Rock, New Skool Rules, Soul Of Brooklyn, Allied Media Conference, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sappy Fest, Electric Eclectic, Summerworks, Ottawa Capital Pride, Pride Toronto, Pop Montreal, Halifax Pop Explosion and so many more!
In March of 2020, Witch Prophet released her Ontario Arts Council funded sophomore LP “D.N.A Activation”. An ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul and RnB with songs sung in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya. Co-produced by herself and her partner SUN SUN, praised by press and music lovers alike, DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. She has since released a deluxe edition of DNA Activation featuring remix tracks with rappers Stas THEE Boss and LATASHÁ.
The video for her song Tesfay directed by Leah Vlemmiks was nominated for the 2021 Prism Prize and was an official selection at the 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival as well as the 2021 SXSW Music Video awards. Tesfay was also nominated in the UKMVA’s Best International RnB/Soul video category alongside Beyoncé, Cardi B, Normani, The Weeknd, and Bryson Tiller. Her newest video for her single Makda was released May 2021 and debuted on FADER.
Review: Erykah Badu is mesmerizing, magical in St. Paul concert
Erykah Badu has been known to keep her fans waiting. The high priestess of neo-soul has not released a proper studio album since 2010. She didn't headline a Twin Cities concert between 2001 and 2021.
When she returned to St. Paul on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center, her band played on and on for 15 minutes, waiting for her to join them onstage. Then, she made an entrance, of course. Badu is always a visual treat.
Shiny stove pipe hat with a witch's brim. Green-sequined floor-length coat, with 24-inch-long tubes of fur trim around her neck and knees. Wraparound glasses that lit up with different colors. And braids that fell to her feet. Green laser lights framed Badu as she sang "20 Feet Tall." And she certainly seemed larger than life.
A Badu concert is a cosmic experience, part jazzy hip-hop soul trip, part modern dance performance, part visual feast, part liberating spiritual awakening. She never ceases to take you on a trip through her mind and your own. Friday's concert was as mesmerizingly magical as her 2021 performance at the Armory in Minneapolis.
Like David Bowie and Prince before her, and Beyoncé and Janelle Monáe after her, Badu is one of pop music's marvelous visionaries. She comes with a well contemplated philosophy and an evolved concept for the sound, messages and visuals of her art.
In her 90 minutes onstage in St. Paul, the Dallas native offered several of her hits, including "On & On," "Bag Lady" and an abbreviated "Appletree." She even snuck in a taste of Ari Lennox's 2018 hit "Whipped Cream" during her own "Window Seat."
Badu delivered the autobiographical "Me," sharing her history (claiming she's 56 when most bios say 52) for the uninitiated, which seemed to be a significant portion of the sparse crowd of maybe 5,000.
The singer-actress-fashionista-entrepreneur-doula is calling her 2023 arena trek her Unfollow Me Tour because, she explained, "I don't want to be responsible for you. You can't go where I'm going. Follow your heart. Follow your ambitions. Follow your dreams. You ain't gotta be like nobody. I don't know what's right for you, and you don't know what's right for me."
For her performance, Badu had a giant video wall behind her, not for closeup shots of her performing live but rather for images of Egyptian objects and arty designs. Another visual was her outfits, which she peeled off in layers. After the long sequined coat, there was an oversized tie-dyed sweater, and eventually a black T-shirt and leotard. And a fuchsia stocking cap with a knot on top.
Not only does Badu have her own line of clothing, cannabis and lifestyle products, she is a model, a Met Gala regular and a Vogue cover subject, in March.
Dressed in all white including stocking caps, her band — seven musicians, three singers —grooved. Sometimes Badu, who played electronic percussion and briefly acoustic guitar, stuck to the arrangement, other times she improvised, conducting the musicians and riffing with her voice.
She showed an elastic voice, accomplished at hip-hop, soul and Billie Holiday-ish jazz. And, as she promised at the end of the night, she uncorked a spine-tingling scream that would have been equally at home in a sanctified setting or a heavy-metal concert.
Opening the evening was rapper Yasiin Bey, dressed in a Minnesota Wild jersey with his surname and numeral 0 on the back. Formerly known as Mos Def, he commanded the stage with old favorites like "Ms. Fat Booty" before dancing off to Milton Nascimento's "Tudo Que Você Podia Ser."
The altar is often adorned with offerings of food, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, which are later shared as a communal feast. Pagans also engage in meditation and reflection during the autumn equinox. This is a time to connect with the energies of the Earth and to express gratitude for the abundance of the harvest.
Some Pagans may engage in guided meditations or spend time outdoors, immersing themselves in the natural world. Another practice during the autumn equinox is the performance of rituals and ceremonies. These can include lighting candles or bonfires to represent the warmth and light of the sun, which begins to wane during this time. It is also common to perform rituals that involve the sharing of food and drink, as a way to foster community and to honor the cycle of life and death. Additionally, Pagans may engage in divination and spellwork during the autumn equinox. This can involve activities such as tarot card readings, scrying, or casting spells for abundance, protection, and balance. The focus is often on setting intentions for the upcoming season and harnessing the energy of the equinox to bring about positive change. Overall, the practices of Pagans during the autumn equinox revolve around gratitude, reflection, and connection with nature. It is a time to celebrate the harvest, give thanks, and prepare for the changing seasons ahead..
Reviews for "The Role of Divination and Oracle Work in Pagan Celebrations on the Autumn Equinox"
1. John - 2 stars
I found "What are the practices of pagans on the autumn equinox" to be a tedious and uninformative read. The author seemed more interested in promoting their own beliefs rather than providing a comprehensive explanation of pagan practices. The information provided was vague and lacked depth, leaving me with more questions than answers. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone seeking a thorough understanding of pagan practices on the autumn equinox.
2. Sarah - 1 star
As someone who was genuinely interested in learning about the practices of pagans on the autumn equinox, I was deeply disappointed by this book. It felt like a long and repetitive rant rather than a well-researched and informative guide. The author's biased viewpoints were evident throughout, which made it hard for me to take any of the information seriously. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking an objective and unbiased look into pagan practices on the autumn equinox.
3. Peter - 2 stars
"What are the practices of pagans on the autumn equinox" failed to meet my expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied. The book lacked organization and clarity, making it difficult to understand the various pagan practices mentioned. Furthermore, the author presented personal opinions and assumptions as facts, which made the content unreliable. I was hoping for a more balanced and well-researched exploration of pagan practices, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver. I would not recommend it to others looking for an informative and reliable resource on the subject.
4. Emma - 3 stars
While "What are the practices of pagans on the autumn equinox" did provide some interesting insights into pagan rituals, I found it to be a bit disorganized and lacking in depth. The author jumped from one topic to another without proper explanation or context, leaving me somewhat confused. Additionally, I felt that the book could have included more examples and anecdotes to illustrate the various practices being discussed. Overall, it was an okay read, but I believe there are better resources available for those wanting to learn about pagan practices on the autumn equinox.