An Interview with
Duncan Houghton

Druid, Witch, and High Priest of the Grove

Q. Do you regard yourself as a Witch or a Druid?

A. Gosh, on the surface this almost seems like one of those chicken or the egg situations, but simply put I am both a witch and a Druid. For me an introduction to Witch Craft came first and although not anywhere or in any way wise back then, this ultimately led to me discovering the path of Celtic Esotericism and eventually Druidry. The systems are extremely comfortable bed fellows which harmony was recognized by Gerald Gardener and Ross Nichols in the late 1930's and early 1940's, when the Witches Wheel Calendar was formalized, codified and dished up to the esoteric World as ancient beyond belief. Instead of two disparate systems, I am party to an exquisite meal of esoteric courses complemented by the finest of Spiritual Wines, both being the Blessings of our Mother. I am neither Witch alone or primarily Druid, but a comfortable amalgam of both.

Q. How did you come to embrace pagan spirituality?

A. Well by dissatisfaction really. A complete dissolution in what I was being fed rather forcibly by the "spiritual teachers" of my youth. You see, I was a sort of sociopath in my younger days, preferring the company of books, animals, plants and nature to that of my peers. Through extensive reading, vista's, worlds and alternative realities were opened to me. These I believe are denied to those who in their youth embrace a leading role in the herd of humanity. Early on in my teens, I was determined to become a member and leader within the Christian faith, they however would have none of me or the ideas I had encountered in my reading. After being denied a place within the Sacred Cabal of the Christian Collective, my search took me far and wide, through the teachings of the east and into the embrace of groups both exciting and quite bizarre. After initiations and invitations too innumerable to measure, I discovered all I needed was a good text to guide me, my indomitable spirit gifted me by my parents and the knowledge that I had at last come home, and I was set. I became a Witch and never looked back. When I met your esteemed editor, Ariel Damon, I believe we both grew spirit wings and after 12 years of friendship, I know we are right and Nirvana is just around the next corner for both of us.

Q. You are one of the founding members of the Grove, South Africa. Could you tell us a little more about the Grove?

A. Founding member! That's a little strong; it’s more like adoptive father and surrogate mother rolled into one. Let me explain, its a long story, but here comes the precise story and I only hope it makes sense. Approximately 7 years ago, Ariel Damon inherited, by virtue of his superior knowledge and innate ability to impart his learning, a class from another witch who at the time was too occupied with her training in the African tradition. I had the privilege to join this forum as both casual observer and substitute teacher. Damon was shortly thereafter called by the Mother to move on a different path far removed from the madness of the City and the path of the ‘Window Box’ Witch. He asked me with the consent of his group, and much against my Hedge Witch Will, that I take over the teaching of the class. Kicking and screaming as only those who believe the true path to enlightenment is that of the Solitary can, I took over the teaching of the class and encountered the most illuminating and expanding experience of my life. I was privileged enough to be given the opportunity to learn from my students. Since our first year together, we have worked together as individuals and as a coven worth its "Salt" in the esoteric community of today. Seven years later the founding members, Damon, Duncan, Shannon and Cahndy can smile on Seven Generations of Witches and say, "We are well pleased".

Q. Tell us a little about your path to becoming an initiated Druid?

A. Backwards and forwards, this questioning seems to elicit almost incestuous answers from me! The path of the druid, or should I classify, the bard, began in my early teens. Injunctions not to divulge the essence or nature of my teachings kept me silent through trial and tribulation, friendship and sharing, until the day arrived where I decided as master of my own destiny to inform all of my decision, to serve this world on a path few in this land had opted to follow; that of the Druid. Druiding for me is the culmination of years of study, rewarding and frustrating, illuminating and damning in its obscurity. Little may be discussed, but what I can divulge is that for those who are open to a path where discipline and adherence to creeds secret and jealousy guarded is required, and vistas yet unimagined are opened, then the path of the bard, ovate and druid may just be your path. I have, I admit been frustrated that I am the only one in this country who has completed the required course, but am blessed by the friends and fellow witches who support me in my cause. To call myself a druid sometimes feels a little strange but at others feels like I am being recognized as something unique, a stranger in a strange land. As I said before, when called a druid, I feel like a being come home, like your prodigal son. I can without doubt say; the path of the druid provides parameters within a boundless system by which one can measure oneself and admit finally one is or may be called adept. Too vain? Try it! Call me, and we can discuss the final product which is yourself! I can say without a shadow of doubt that I have been led to that, which is a culmination of all that I can become. It is now my duty to perfect it.

Q. Are you open about your spirituality at work and how do people respond to you? What do you do for a living?

A. Reprieve at last! Something I can answer without plundering the store of memory, past or being required to plumb the shadowy 'mirk' of the way forward. Simply put, I am the senior partner of a Law Firm based in Johannesburg and specializing in suing people who have intentionally or negligently injured another by their day to day actions. It is no secret to my staff that I am a witch and a druid, and if the truth be told, I believe, from what I see that it is of little concern to any of them. I have in my employ an extremely eclectic blend of Christians, Buddhists, Hindu's, African animists and agnostics who accept the "eccentric" behaviour of their boss as normal, and at times may even ask of me a little assistance esoteric or mundane to help them through some difficulty that they may be experiencing at any given moment. The principle of tolerance is required when working with my partner, and I, and all within our firm seem to have mastered this principle quite admirably. Those who did not, have long since moved on to develop themselves in their own greener pastures.

Q. Could you tell our readers a little about your involvement with PFSA in drawing up a constitution?

A. The P.F.S.A. is another of those bodies that took up some of my time many years ago. Once again, Ariel Damon stumbled upon a group of zealous pagans, who had devised the laudable concept of forming a body that would act as a forum for all Pagans in South Africa. Within or under the umbrella of the federation, pagans would meet, exchange ideas and fight for causes specifically pagan. I began to accompany Damon to the initial meetings held by the core group of PFSA devotees. The initial meetings all revolved around the panel beating of user-friendly oh-so P.C. definitions of what, who, where, when and how one was classified a pagan. What Paganism was, the parameters and paradigms it embraced, and how the organization was to be structured, to administer most efficiently to the needs of its future members countrywide. The numbers of people attending each meeting grew and it seemed to me that more time was spent at each meeting catching the ‘newbies’ up on what had gone before, than was spent on moving forward. Eventually, it was decided that a constitution should be drafted, and being the only "legal" mind in the group, I was co-opted to assist and co-ordinate the process. It was during the weeks involved in painstakingly crafting a document amenable to all, and then some, that I decided that an en-masse enclave of witches was the last thing my development needed. After informing Ariel Damon of my imminent defection, I was last seen hightailing it back into the relative obscurity of individualism, leaving behind a workable draft of what may or may not be the constitution of P.F.S.A. today. If the truth be told I have little care as to whether it is or isn't. What I will say is, that despite the politics which have torn the P.F.S.A. asunder more often than not, it is a group which has in its own way placed Paganism on the South African Constitutional map, and although I may not be a member or even agree with their orthodoxies, I salute their efforts and can even come out and applaud their many successes.

Q. You are also the founder of the Circle of Awen. Would you tell us a little about the Circle?

A. How would you describe the Circle of Awen. Well, it is really a spin-off, pirate copy of the grove with a distinct flavour of the different. The circle started when I was asked to teach a third class a week and I decided to teach it my way alone. For various and diverse reasons, the candidates who elected to be taught in this class could not make the necessary arrangements to attend either the Monday or Wednesday classes of the Grove. In addition to the above, each of these students wanted to do things their way with a little guidance from me. The first year I taught the classes to the circle, the entire membership was made up of close friends, and let me advise, this can be a very trying experience. We all lived, and a second year followed! We grew and a third class started. The teachings of the Circle have evolved into a mad amalgam of European Witchcraft, Druidry and Tantric Witch-craft. The latter being introduced when Shahindran joined. Included now in both the groups, the Grove and the Circle, is an intensive dance program involving the folk dances of the east with the intentions of spiraling energy within the frame of Ritual workings. The Circle I would say is a bizarre amalgam of Druidic-Indo influences touched and aided by the craft and supported by Spirit. The Grove and Circle of
Awen work closely together on all fronts, share sabbats and esbats, regarding themselves as individual parts of one whole.

Q. How do you personally feel about the Pagan movement in South Africa at the moment?

A. On the whole, I have always steered clear of causes and movements. My
experience being that within a collective there is always dissent and disunity that has a tendency to breed unhealthy alliances and even more disastrous "political" consequences. To date I have not really been proved wrong. Even within the Pagan movement both within South Africa, and abroad, we witness the Phoenix like birth and re-birth of groups, assemblies, orders and federations most of whom quickly grow and just as quickly fail. Let me qualify, there are those groups and even certain stalwarts within existing groups who remain and persevere and even succeed, but on the whole most just fail and all go back to what Witches and Pagans appear to do best; work within the relative security of a small group. Take a look at me! I am happiest where I am now, instead of jockeying for position in some top-heavy bureaucratic pseudo-political entity. I believe I now get a lot more accomplished. I am not in any way passing a value judgement on any part of the pagan community or any organization that may form part of this collective. I will be the first to say that many organizations within the movement have done a great deal of good. They have furthered the cause of the pagan within the Republic. They have also caused rifts within many sections of the community which can never be healed, but then I suppose this is the nature of the human beast, and I choose not to affiliate myself to any particular part of the movement, and I'm sure they will continue to do a great deal of good, despite my and countless other Witches' "fence-sitting".

Q. Do you think Druids still have a role to play in counseling and advising kings and presidents? How would you define the role of a modern Druid?

A. Historically, Bards, Ovates and Druids have always been attached to Royal houses, if not attending personally to the King or queen, then as members of the immediate Court. So vital a role did they play within Courts and tribal Dunns' of Western Europe and the British Isles, that their presence and indeed position became entrenched within the Brethonic code.

Do I think Druids should still lay claim to the role of political advisor? No, I don't believe it is the province of the Druid alone. I believe it is the province of all enlightened and spiritual persons. I do believe our leaders could do with a little counsel that is not wholly Orthodox. I believe Witches, Druids, Sangomas, Nyangas, Brahmins, Shamans, Moslems, Jews and Christians alike have the duty placed on them to work together to Counsel our leaders. The only problem is finding sufficient numbers within each system who are tolerant enough of each other, to allow wisdom to guide their Counsel.

Q. Would you like to say anything to our current rulers in this interview?

A. Yes, to our esteemed Minister of Health: You have a nation that is sickening and you are refusing to deploy and distribute what the rest of the World has given freely. Put your pride aside and start trying to work within the parameters of your portfolio by working towards the ideal of alleviating suffering and bringing some hope to those doomed to a future of hopelessness.

Duncan Houghton, Morgainne Emrhys mac Macha mac Cerridwen Donnchad Dianchet , is an elder and educator of the Grove South Africa formed in 1996, and a former initiate and Druid of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.