The Georgian Tradition
Interview with Zanoni Silverknife By Christopher Blackwell

One of the American traditions is the Georgian Tradition. I had heard of it but had not known much about it so I contacted Zanoni and asked to interview her.

Christopher: First a bit of background about yourself. How long have you been Wiccan and how long have you been in the Georgian Tradition? What other groups and traditions have you worked with?

Zanoni: It would be presumptuous of me to say I’ve always been “a Witch” – yet that is what I believe. As a very young child I knew things others did not, recalled lives that I should have no knowledge of, did things that astounded and yes, frightened my parents and other family members.

But, to be perfectly honest, it wasn’t until 1969 that I began to find information on occult subjects -- openly published pictures of tarot cards and other fascinating things in a magazine’s October issue. I also read the book by Sybil Leek, “Diary of a Witch” and Nora Lofts’ “Little Wax Doll.” At that time I began to avidly seek for anything to read on the subject.

When, after a concert, my friend and I went to pick up my children at the sitter’s house, I saw an issue of “Coronet,” a little magazine about the size of a Reader’s Digest (October 13, 1936 to March 1971 and ran for 299 issues. ... It was similar in format to Reader’s Digest but was considered to have a higher tone. )

In it was an article on Witches – It featured Sybil Leek, Raymond and Rosemary Buckland* and Louise Huebner. I asked if I could take the magazine and was granted that, as, the sitter said she did not go in for “all that sort of stuff.” *Fabulous picture of this pair with her lowering the Hornéd Helmet onto his head – I still have that picture saved in my BOS.

Each of the interviewees gave a spell for one to try. Since I did not know what a “Tonka bean” was or where to procure one, I did not try Sibyl’s spell. However, the Money Spell by the Buckland’s required yellow-green candles and orange tissue and coins and the “Love” spell by Ms. Huebner required only a pin and a red candle – I worked with those. I still remember those spells to this day, word for word. I told my friend (now known as Lady Tanith) that “They may well work and it couldn’t hurt to try.”

As those spells worked very well, I decided I could not stand to go another moment without knowing more. I felt as if I would become a hollow, cardboard person if I did not learn of this thing, “witchcraft.”

About a year before all this, I had been dating different DJs in the Bakersfield area and one of them had taken me to play cards with friends of his. Somehow the subject came up of a man who proclaimed to be a Witch.

I remembered this, and began to inquire among my DJ friends (the one mentioned previously had ‘moved on up the dial’ so to speak) and found that there was one fellow who did know where I might find this “Witch.”

I called Mr. Patterson at the radio station he worked for and introduced myself. We set up an interview and the rest is, as is so banally put, history.

Christopher: How, why, and when did the Georgian Tradition get founded and who were the founders?

Zanoni: As I said above, I made an appointment for myself and my friend to meet with George “Pat” Patterson at his home. The Georgian Tradition was established in Bakersfield, California, 26 December 1971. The first phase of the original coven was comprised of Lord Scorpio (George "Pat" Patterson), Lady Persephone (now known as Lady Zanoni) and Lady Tanith. Very soon, after a 3-month rush course of study, he selected me as Priestess and Tanith as Maiden. We three incorporated "The Church of Wicca of Bakersfield," which was later reincorporated as "The Georgian Church."

The “why” of the matter? Patterson had long dreamed of having a coven, but had not found the right persons with whom to create this very special and sacred practice.

His history, subject of another conversation, stated briefly is that as a teen in pre-World War II Boston, he had contact with a Celtic coven, the Four Winds. He studied by proxy through the children of members of that Coven, but upon attaining legal adult status, was given Initiation into that group. He set up a spell to call the right people to him – as he put it to me on our interview when I asked if the spell laid out on his coffee table was for the purpose of calling me and my friend to him.

Quoting him verbatim, “Not you, specifically, but the right people to practice the Craft with; and here you are.”

As for myself, as stated earlier, I knew I must have this set of teachings if I were to survive as a spiritual person in any sense of the word. Tanith, a rather private and quiet individual, would have to answer for her own reasons.

Christopher: Can you tell us a little about the various people involved and where some of the ideas came from?

Zanoni: There were many people who contributed to the making of our Georgian Path, not the least of them Ed Fitch, whose Gardnerian Outer Court materials make up rather a lot of our understanding of the workings of the Craft and a Coven; the Lady Gwen of NECTW (New England Celtic Traditional Witches) and Doris and Sylvester Stuart (Sylvestrians) of Essex, England. Their willingness to share their knowledge and love of the Craft with us was truly amazing. They quickly became trusted confidants, guides and friends to our tiny Coven.

Patterson and I both corresponded with all these and with many other persons in the Craft, too many to mention here. In the main, during this early period of the burgeoning “out of the broom closet” of Wicca, we exchanged ideas, formulae, spells and bits of advice and instruction. Oath-bound was strictly for such things as must be kept sacred and secret via the oaths we took in the Initiation – this did not include good old-fashioned information exchange.

Other ideas came from reading as many books as we could get our hands on. It was difficult in those days to find anything on the Occult or Witchcraft in Bakersfield - that was not tainted with the label of satanic writings – merely a label, I reiterate. We had to join book clubs, order from places such as Tyrad and Old World Curios, House of Hermetic and by then, The Warlock Shoppe – later renamed The Magical Childe – began to sell books we could purchase.

Christopher: What was it like to be Wiccan in Bakersfield back then? What was it like trying to get a tradition started?

Zanoni: It was such an adventure! We knew very little, but we boldly went where no Bakersfield folk had gone before. Since we did not know that we did not know, we proceeded as if we were merely learning new things, new ways of thinking and acting, new ways of life. We were joyous and intrepid. I cannot think of any time where we were held back by our lack of knowledge, for our enthusiasm for the Craft and the love of it inspired us and brought out many hidden facets of our personalities and wonderfully workable rituals and spells – all to the good of the Tradition.

We had our ups and downs, as one will with any group dynamic; fitting several personalities into one nine-foot circle can be tremendously challenging, yet, as I think back on it, it was such a team effort and we all enjoyed our meetings and Sabbats so very much. They became Family events for us all. The first coven was a wonderful group of folks.

Christopher: When did you hive off the first coven?

Zanoni: Our first Coven hived off very quickly. By the following February I helped Patterson initiate his second Priestess, Aphrodite. I went off to lead the members of the first coven and continued to do so as Pat trained up a new group and subsequent others by the end of the third year of our existence as a “tradition”.

Now, let me delineate to you what my idea of a real “tradition” is… The first time out, it is an experiment; the second time it is performed it is the proving of the experiment; the third usage of the ritual or practice makes it a full-blow tradition. Voila! This is just my little conceit.

Christopher: I note that media attention seems to swing back and forth to extremes then on the subject of Wicca. I am curious what experience you had with the media?

Zanoni: The Pit and the Pendulum of the Media: yes. They do tend to swing back and forth rather a lot, most of the time slanting the interviews and pieces to whatever way they wish it to go and we usually end up in the Pit. I’ve been interviewed on radio, television and in several newspapers, conducted seminars for various organizations and public institutions such as colleges.

The worst interview I ever had was with Bakersfield State College students who, in the best tradition of yellow journalism and despite us telling them to the contrary, printed that the Goddess Diana was my “satanic alter-ego” – and despite us calling, writing and going out to talk to the college paper’s editor, they refused to print a retraction. However, I have had many very positive experiences as well with all three media venues.

Christopher: At what point did the tradition seem to take off and take on a life of its own? How far and wide has it spread?

Zanoni: Pat was a very strong proponent of, “the Craft must grow and survive.” Within three years there were many Covens – Aphrodite having hived off, as well. There was a Children’s Coven, too, that Pat held Sabbats for on the date of our Adult Sabbats. At one point I believe there were at least seven Covens of Georgians that were actively operating in the area – if not more. We even had a multi-coven barbeque in one of the local parks and there were Witches there from probably six covens.

There were other styles of covens in the area that we heard of, but they never mingled with us. I hate to brag, but we do have covens and active members all over the world. Many of these are Military folk who spread the word and the practice and blessings of Craft to others they chance to meet.

We are talking of members of the Georgian Family – of which there are three branches: the very Traditionalist group, the more Eclectic folk and the Dianics. They all come under the umbrella of Georgian, with some differences in style of practice, yet all, by some long and winding way can trace lineage back to the Original Coven. I bless them all on their way.

Christopher: I was reading some remarks you made about elders in Widdershins. In your opinion, what makes an elder?

Zanoni: An Elder is someone who has lived this formula: KEW, i.e. Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom. You can’t get that in a year and a day! That takes a lot of study and practice and living your life as a Wiccan, every day, every moment. One who upholds the tenets of his or her chosen branch of the Craft (or Tradition) to the utmost of one’s ability, setting an example that others can see and live by. Doing what is right and necessary, not what one wishes to do. Passing on one’s Tradition with all integrity as accorded by the standards of that Tradition. Never giving an inch to coercion, pressure or other’s ideas of who and what one should be and do with one’s own life.

Christopher: What would you like to see for your tradition in the future for your tradition?

Zanoni: I would love to see more folk coming to the Craft and the Georgian Tradition as traditionalists to carry this wonderful, beautiful thing forward for coming generations. There are a few of we Traditionalists left, and we do love to share our worthy works with others who have a great love of the Craft. While we are not British Traditional by actual fact of lineage, we are British Traditional derived and as such, the Traditionalist branch practices our Tradition as faithfully as any of the original “Wiccans.”

Christopher: Where can our readers find out more?

Zanoni: One may google the Traditional Georgiana or Georgian Tradition: or go to these sites – http://traditionalgeorgians.net -- www.georgianwicca.com We are written about in many books and have a few of our people who are authors on the subject of Georgian or Wiccan-related subjects.

One may google Zanoni Silverknife to find various sites that carry information about me and my connection to the Georgian Tradition. I am interviewed in books, newspapers and such. I am not shy about giving my opinions.

Christopher: Anything else you would like our readers to know?

Zanoni: Since its inception, the Georgian Tradition has been growing and thriving. I was there with my acting Priest at the first meeting in Oakland at Gwyddion Penderwynn’s home to discuss with about 30 other witches and variously-styled Pagans whether or not we wanted to form some sort of association to benefit us as a valid religion with valid clergy. I was there to sign the Charter of the Covenant of the Goddess June 22, 1975 at Coedin B’rith, near Ukiah CA – I still have my copy of those documents. We have had Georgian persons hold all manner of office in that organization, even unto national levels.

Lastly, I want to qualify who and what I am in this excerpt of a piece I wrote to describe some differences in terms – this is a piece that I intend to publish later in my Elder’s Handbook, so I do reserve all rights.

Wicca: It is a term that is bandied about like the latest “buzz word” in the common nomenclature. Anyone can claim to be a Wiccan, it seems, without training, without being properly prepared or Initiated. One must simply have a sincere desire and have read at least one book on the subject. They seem to sprout traditions like weeds. I call them the Rabryos – Read A Book Roll Yer Owns.

Nothing wrong with a person finding one’s own way or practicing as one sees fit. It does annoy me that people attach whatever label they like to legitimize their brand of practice.

“To me, the term Wicca is now merely a point of reference to other Pagans and Witches; (originally it was exclusive to the British Traditional Covens). It lets us all interface with some understanding of what the other is about on some level or other – speaking the same language, if not the same dialect.

“In general, Georgian, to me, is Wiccan and Pagan by its broader definition; we are Witches and some of us consider ourselves Craft...none of these exclude the others but they are also not exactly inclusive of all that they each mean. Witch is what I am, Wicca is what I practice; Craft is who I am. So Mote it Be.