*History Of Stregheria*
The Old Religion of Italy first began to form arond the beliefs of early, pre - Etruscan Italians. The mystery teachings and the magickal practices were further developed and refined by the Etruscans, who appeared in Italy around 1000 B.C.E., establishing the great Etruscan empire. The Etruscans were known historically for their great magickal and mystical knowledge.
Central to the Etruscan idea of deity was the notion of "manus" or "numen", or power, which they believed to underlie all of creaton and which manifested itself to humans as the Gods. Manus became concentrated in certain places and could be harnessed to assist humans. Those who could discern the motions of this power, who could tap into it, would be in touch with the Divine and would be favored in their lives. This is a principle in many philosophies and religions. Consciousness of this power is not enough; one must possess the wisdom to become a conduit for it.
The persecution of Witches in Italy did not become violent until the late 14th century, and even then the Church struck out mainly against organized groups. Solitary village Witches were generally tolerated, continuing the roles of village healer, herbalist, midwife and counselor; thus Italian Witchcraft remained relatively intact throughout the Middle Ages.
In Italian, there are different words for witch/magician/sorcerer: Strega (stray - gah) means female witch. Stregone (stray - gonay) means male witch. Mago (mah - joh) means magician and Maga (mah - jah) means sorceress. The Italian words for Witchcraft are Stregheria (stray - gare - e - ah); Stregoneria (stray - go - neer - ee - ah) and Magia (mah - jee ah). The Italian word for coven is Boschetto (boss - ket - oh), which means grove; Selva, which means forest; or Congrega.
Today, there are many traditions of Stregheria: Silvani (found in Naples, Florence, Palmero and Messina), Benandanti (found in the Fruili region and in north and northeast Italy), Luperci, Cavellini, Italian Fairy, Sicilian, Nemaic and Trinacrian (found in the US).
The Magickal focus is largely upon spells, omens and natural objects. These are used as amulets, talismans, charms and divinations. Ritual circles are seldom used for spell casting or other works of Magick. As in most Craft traditions, the basic elemental forces are revered and living entities are associated with the Magickal properties of the elements. Italian folklore also extends to inanimate objects, which are believed to contain power. Among the most common are keys made of gold or silver, scissors, horseshoes, pearls, red ribbon and salt.
What we call the Lare today, were, in early Estruscan times called the Lasa. In Stregheria, the Lare represent not only Ancient familt ties, but the spirits who protect and preserve the Old Religion and its followers. The Lasa were the spirits of the West (ancestral ties) and the Lare were spirits of the East (preservation of Ways). The Lare are centered on the family and its doings and have strong ties to actual ancestors. The Lare would be included in birthdays and other family events. The Lasa are less "domestic" and their roots are in all of humanity.