Crafting a Wxtch Treasure: 

 Audre Lorde

So it’s great news that Manteuffel Strasse, which currently gets its name from the Prussian Imperialist PM and opponent of democracy, Otto Theodor Freiherr von Manteuffel, will be getting a revamp and bestowed with such a magnificent blessing. It's also fantastic that Audre’s valuable contribution to Berlin is more fully recognised and acknowledged.  However,  this name change was announced back in 2021, and as far as I can tell, nothing has happened or progressed since then. (What’s happening here??) So as I’m living in such close proximity to Her street, I knew I had to create something for the occasion. 

"I do not mix love with pity, nor hate with scorn"

Audre has been very present in my thoughts lately, her poems moving through my mind, and I had the intuitive feeling it was her birthday sometime around this time. But alas, as the tides turned and oceanic waves of the Piscean new moon came crashing through my emotional waters, by the time I found a moment’s peace and chance to check, it was already 2 days past, February 18th! But, better late than never!

What is the treasure?

It all began with some off-cuts from my latest Zine, Venus Unfolds the Rose. The story follows an anarchist group of apocalyptic hex positive, sex worker WXTCHES, who are undertaking a powerful elaborate ritual upon the eve of Ostara. In order to petition for guidance and support, the crafty collective place offerings for their three fav radical spirits and former Berlin residents, Audre Lorde, Anita Berber and Rosa Luxemburg. 

Because I am a recovering academic, and can’t write anything without providing a hefty list of footnotes, references and further reading - each zine comes with an accompanying Story Notes booklet.

DECOR

So that’s the words, but what about the decor? It is made from a selection of dried tulip petals, both red and blue - each bunch of course having magickal significance, being sat previously on two of my altars. This is fashioned after another wxtch treasure I have been working on this month, one made purely for my own enjoyment, to help on my path of healing myself. 

This treasure had lain upon my altar for a few weeks, a slow work in progress, each stitch bringing me closer to my dreams and desires. Or perhaps better, each stitch Re-Connecting me with my dreams and desires. Whenever I would falter, doubt my journey and need to ground myself, I would sit, and stitch, and work on the treasure once more. WXTCH treasures can be made in many different ways, either quick off the bat on a furtive night in the dark, or prolonged over a longer period of time: a labour of love and meditative practice. Both Audre’s and the original treasure were one such of these. 

In fact, with Audre’s treasure, I’ve been getting a distinct message to slow down. Sometimes there is a sense of urgency with a WXTCH treasure.. that it needs to be ready and hung on an exact moon phase at an exact time on a specific day, but that’s not the case with this one. Each time I have thought to myself “right, it’s the new moon I must go out in the middle of the night to hang it,” or “i know it’s raining and it’s only half finished, but it’s Friday, Venus day, and this really is the best time,”  or some other such idea, my intuition, or helper spirits, have reminded me to take care of My Self, to do things at my own capacity, in my own time. There is no point dashing out into the dark, into the winter rains in order to hang the treasure. I have the feeling this treasure is about the Creating itself, about the commitment to healing and connecting with my body, and with my community too. 

So it is made from a selection of dried tulip petals, both red and blue - each bunch of course having magickal significance, being sat previously on two of my altars. These are the delicate beauties that would suffer in the rain. 

IMAGE

And what about images of the Poetic Goddess Audre herself? It felt as though it needed to be iconic. There were no spare images of Audre from the zine misprints, but she definitely deserved a fresh printing. Luckily they have a swanky printer at my new job, so one of the benefits of always being last to leave the office is that, after hours, I get free reign of the Printing Press.  I selected the two images which feature in my zine. The first gorgeous icon of Audre Lorde comes from the book cover of the French version of “The Black Unicorn” her magically powerful & enchanting 1978 poetry collection, which explores the intertwining themes of gender, sexuality, racial oppression, and spiritual empowerment, reclaiming & revaluing the Goddesses from West African Spiritual traditions. 

 I am particularly drawn to this image because of its illustrative nature, the colour scheme of dark crimsons matching with my own personal taste preferences, and also because here, she looks youthful and cheeky, representing the archetype of the Maiden. To balance the picture, we include this second image, where Audre stands into all her Black majestic power, embodying perhaps the Teacher / Mother / Elder Ancestral figure. 

Yes, I do not do it for the glory, but should at least allow others to enjoy and admire the wxtch treasure’s beauty, for them to receive its message, to invite Audre into their life for the day.  I do not make any demands of her Spirit. This is an act of Devotion and Appreciation. 

So, with the day decided, the weather fair, I set out upon a Moonday evening, to Gift the treasure at a suitable crossroads spot (after scouting the location a few days previously). As usual, I streamed the treasure through the air as I went on my way, so she was glimmering and dancing in the wind. The Treasure was left with some other offerings: Reece’s Cup, a sack of Oranges & half a pomegranate: the leftovers from Lupercalia, a ritual of complete passion and submission to the Goddess Babalon. 

So the treasure is now in place. It was truly beautiful, so i don’t imagine it will stay there very long, but hopefully some people will admire it.

Anyway, this is just the beginning. A portal opening, making room for better things to cum. Wana collaborate? The more treasures the merrier!