Mid-Ohio Valley Pagans find community through Samhain traditions
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VIENNA - Remembering loved ones, reflecting on personal growth and finding a sense of belonging are central to the Samhain celebration organized by Mid-Ohio Valley Pagans at McDonough Park Saturday afternoon.
Founder Kalina Davis said the group's observance brings together spiritual traditions and casual opportunities to connect. The group has held celebrations for about seven years, with Davis working to organize something larger for a holiday she described as a major pagan festival.
"I really want to create spaces where pagans can come to belong because I think that's really lacking in our area," Davis said. "I think there's a lot of pagans here, and I just don't think that everybody knows that we exist."
Davis founded Mid-Ohio Valley Pagans in 2018 after recognizing a need for a local community. She had lived in Cleveland for five years before returning to the area in 2015 and noticed fewer opportunities for pagans to gather than she had found in the larger city.
For Davis and the group, Samhain provides an opportunity to remember ancestors and consider subjects such as death and personal development.
"There's a lot of focus on ancestors, so we usually do like rituals that are related to that," she said.
Davis said those rituals are comparable to religious services in other faiths, using symbolism to express beliefs and create meaning.
Her own practice involves Greek gods. Previous celebrations have included rituals involving Hecate and Persephone, while this year's planned ritual involved Hades and connecting with ancestors who have died.
Davis emphasized that the understanding of the afterlife involved in her practice is distinct from the biblical concept of hell.
"In this case, it's more about connecting with our spirits of ancestors who have passed on, and we kind of call on Hades to help with that because he's traditionally associated with that," she said.
The observance also includes what Davis described as "shadow work," a practice she connected to psychological reflection and personal development.
Samhain is part of the Wheel of the Year, which Davis described as a cycle of eight annual festivals the group celebrates. The cycle connects observances with seasonal changes and points in the sun's annual cycle.
"I think the thing that people connect with most is the fact that we're very earth-centered," Davis said.
Crafts offer another way to explore those connections. In previous years, participants have made witches' balls, ornaments containing items such as herbs and crystals intended to symbolize protection. Davis described the projects as crafts with a spiritual component.
Additionally, the celebration served as an opportunity to make and meet new friends, offering a potluck-style feast and time to mingle. Additionally, Kayla “Katt” Wiggers did a small question-and-answer session regarding spirituality and practical work with spells and rituals.
While individual members may describe themselves as religious or spiritual, Davis said the group provides a place to share practices and find community. Davis said feedback from participants has reinforced the importance of having that space locally.
Across those practices, she sees a familiar thread.
"There's a lot of symbolism, and I think that's something that's common across religions," Davis said. "Just finding meaning in symbols."
Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com.