The Green Witch can be great many different things to a multitude of different people in many varied locations across our earth. The Hollywood blueprint for the baddy witch who gets squished in Frank L Baums Wizard of Oz, the traditional Wicca sorcerer of the 1800’s and when jammed together and unpluralised the name of that superhip location on Manhattan Island, Greenwhich Village, NY.

Known to many as the birthplace of the LBGT agenda for acceptance, it’s impressive list of Hollywood stars who have lived within its boundaries and it’s use in movies has earned the unofficial reputation as the world capital of bohemia. Originally documented as Noortwyck/Northwich/North Witch from 1696, the now official name, Greenwich Village was recorded in official documentation on or around 1796. From its architecture to artistically minded residents the hip district even once declared itself so very liberally minded and progressive that it jokingly celebrated it’s independence as the “The Independent Republic of Greenwich Village”. While artist Marcel Duchamp may have only been participating in horseplay in 1917, the declaration could be read as a signal to artists, modern witch covens and the liberal minded that the thoughts, actions and approach to life was indeed independent from the rest of the conservatively minded USA.

The New York Kabbala and Mysticism Cradle

Qaballah/Kabbala, the Jewish mystic craft with its huge Hollywood list of followers has provided Greenwich Village with the vast majority of modern day residents. While it’s hardly a secret that Hollywoods finest from Steven Spielberg to Adam Sandler insert as much esoteric Kabballa symbology as possible into their flicks, known Kabbalists like Darren Aronosky had a residence with then girlfriend Rachael Wiesz. While Darren is a very open kabbalist who was versed in his craft by fellow kabbalist and Jewish movie director, Stuart Rosenman who himself studied trained at New York University, one of two University campuses in the Greenwich Village district. To go a link further it was Rosenberg who directed the movie version of The Pope of Greenwich Village starring Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts and Darryl Hannah.

Stuart Rosenberg, Mickey Rourke and Darren Aronofsky

Greenwich Village has the bohemian reputation and with that comes the witchcraft element which is no longer stigmatised and stifled. However, the links between residents past and present is as fascinating as it is star studded. While Mickey Rourke, the man with two careers and (possibly two versions of himself if you believe gossip) has never lived in The Village, he was the star of The Pope of Greenwich Village which Rosenberg directed who studied and lived within the mystical district. Darren Aronofsky was also the director responsible for resurecting the career of Mickey Rourke in method acting madness and acclaimed character study, The Wrestler.

The introduction of associates and connections between the residents gives the district a hint of parochial UK. Like the members only working mens clubs of UK villages, this initiation style feel to the village adds the to mystical reputation the area has. Artists, actors, creators of silver screen magic and entertainment, the relatively small location has had a huge impact and it’s residents are the eyes and faces on the screens across the USA. The cultural impact from the a small circle is beyond measure.

On a more amusing note, Mickey Rourkes history with Witchcraft in Phoenix coupled with him starring in the most believable movie about satanism, Angel Heart with fellow Greenwich Village resident Robert De Niro, if he is pope of Greenwich Village then isn’t he the antichrist?

Alfred Hitchcocks Rear Window

What appears to be movie people not wanting to bring that particular craft home, Greenwich Village has been used far less as a location despite being a fantastic looking claustrophobic but cosey area with brilliantly gothic buildings dotted about the place. A few quite large scale examples do exist and what they lack in quantity could be made up in the iconic movies that were made inside this circle of talented movie magicians private nook. Hitchcock was one such man deemed worthy and Rear Window, a movie about privacy and voyeurism that might only have got the greenlight on account of being quite against the sort of aggressive press violations and lack of true privacy celebrities surely desire.

Green Witch Halloween Mayhem

With its reputation as the Kabballa cradle of the world and witchcraft shops and celebs who openly practice wicca living within it’s circle, it wouldn’t be right for this concentration of all things of on screen magic and mysticism to not do something BIG for Halloween. How big? Well…so big that it’s arranged like a large scale initiation for the entire world in that it is the largest Halloween parade in the world.

The Parade to end all others started in the early 1970s in the courtyard of Westbeth, a factory-turned-artist lofts. A small circle of witchy looking puppeteers in masks and costumes with a man in a lobster suit, a two-headed pig and a few other traditional Halloween tropes made their way off on what would become an annual shamanic dance to have the best costume.

Popularity kicked in quick as word got the right people in the Halloween costume circles that this was the place to attend if you took your outfit REALLY seriously and so it became what it has now become as the parade goes to and fro and up and down the streets every Halloween.

Fascinating place.