Pagan Festival draws celebrants of religious freedom

[rug]

Imelda Yahira Chacon, of Las Cruces, displays Steam Punk belly dancing on Saturday at Young Park during the Pagan Pride Festival. (Robin Zielinski Sun-News)

10/12/2013 05:18:40 PM MDT
By S. Derrickson Moore

LAS CRUCES >> There were festivities and laughter at Young Park Saturday, but Pagan Pride Day also has a serious message: freedom of religion, tolerance and education.

And spiritual diversity. Big time.

Three guys in kilts recognized kindred spirits and joined for a photo op that demonstrated the range of what paganism can encompass. Cedar Love, of Albuquerque, with the Chamisa Local Council, Covenant of the Goddess, a Wiccan group, sported cowboy boots and a pointed witch's hat with his kilt. Pan-cultural singer-songwriter and musician Randy Granger, accessorized with Doc Martens, a leather vest and a stovepipe hat and Mahonri Telles, a veteran and furniture maker, with Apache roots, wore buckskin boots with his kilt.

"As Wiccans, we have Earth-based spiritual traditions and believe in magic and personal responsibility," said Love.

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_24297842/pagan-festival-draws-celebrants

[cbayer]

1. Aww, New Mexico. Got to love it.

I bet it would be a hoot to go to this.

[rug]

2. There's a couple of videos at the link but you've got tourists.

[cbayer]

3. The intertube is starting to clear out as they leave today,

so I may get to watch it later.

[hrmjustin]

4. I would have loved to have gone to this.