British Traditional Wicca
British Traditional Wicca (abbreviated BTW) is the term used, mainly in the United States of America, to group a set of Wiccan traditions originating in the New Forest region of England. The term British Traditional Wicca is used to define the originator traditions and practices (usually with traceable lineage) apart from other subsequent forms of Wicca. It is rarely used by initiates in the United Kingdom, as there are fewer alternative traditions to distinguish from.
| British Traditional Wicca | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | BTW |
| Type | Wicca |
| Governance | Priesthood |
| Traditions | Alexandrian Wicca Algard Wicca Blue Star Wicca Central Valley Wicca Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca Gardnerian Wicca |
| Region | United Kingdom, United States, Australia and few countries |
| Founder | Gerald Gardner (De facto) |
| Origin | Various Various |
| Members | Lower than 20,000 |
The most prominent of these traditions are Gardnerian Wicca and Alexandrian Wicca but also other traditions claiming a shared New Forest history. These reach as far abroad as America with traditions such as Central Valley Wicca.
History of the term Wicca
The term "wicca" is well-attested as the Old English word for "[male] witch", the female form being "wicce" both older forms of the Modern English "witch".[1] In modern usage, however, it came into the public lexicon with the works of Gerald Gardner, with the spelling "wica".[2][3]
References
- Wiktionary:Witch
- Gerald Gardner, Witchcraft Today, ISBN 0-8065-2593-2
- Gerald Gardner, The Meaning of Witchcraft, ISBN 1-57863-309-5
