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Victor H. Anderson 

Written and compiled by George Knowles 

Victor Henry Anderson is commonally regarded as the Grandmaster and founder of the Feri tradition of contemporary witchcraft.  A Shaman, a Houngan, a Kahuna and Feri Priest he was also an accomplished poet and the author of ‘Thorns of the Blood Rose’, a classic book of Goddess poetry self published in 1970.  As a contributor to popular “New Age” publications such as:  Witch Eye, Green Egg and Nemeton, he wrote numerous articles on the Feri Tradition and Huna beliefs. 

Anderson was born on the 21^st May 1917 to Hilbert and Frances Anderson in Clayton, New Mexico, and was delivered by his father “at home” on the ranch.  While still a young boy the family moved to Bend, Oregon, where because of an earlier accident that left him almost sightless, he attended a school for the blind.  During his youth he had many native Hawaiian teachers, and grew up to become an expert in ancient Hawaiian beliefs.  He was later considered to be one of the last of the Kahuna’s.  As a young teen, he was also initiated into Voodoo by a Mambo from Haiti who had immigrated to Southern Oregon. 

At the early age of nine while walking in some nearby woods, he came upon an old woman sat inside a circle surrounded with bowls filled with herbs.  She claimed to be a Faerie Witch, and that “he” was a Witch with special talents waiting to be called back into the Old Religion.  She beckoned him to join her in the circle.  While they sat inside the circle Anderson had a visionary experience in which despite his near blindedness, he clearly saw an image of the Horned God gradually transmogrify into an image of the Goddess.  After communicating awhile with the deities, he returned to the present inside the circle.  Teaching him the ritual use of herbs and tea infusions from the bowls around her, the old woman then anointed him with butter, oil and salt, and initiated him into the ways of the Faerie Folk. 

Largely self-educated due to his near blindness, Anderson never the less had a keen interest in academic subjects, including:  physics, chemistry and literature.  Most particularly his interests focused on the world of Spiritual traditions.  He was an avid reader, storyteller and brilliant linguist who spoke numerous languages, among them:  Hawaiian, Spanish, Creole, Greek, Italian, Gaelic and Dahomean.  He was also gifted with a beautiful voice; he loved to sing and was adept on the drum.  During his adult life he earned a living as a musician, playing the accordion at public and private parties, events and dances. 

In his late teens, Anderson was introduced to the Harpy coven, a pre-Gardnerian coven in southern Oregon that met and practised a form of witchcraft throughout the 1930’s.  Members of the coven recognized his early talents and introduced him to their rituals.  Their form of witchcraft was not so much a religion, but more a devotional science emphasizing harmony with nature through celebration, magic, music and ecstatic dancing.  They revered Pagan deities and called them “The Old Gods” or “The Old Powers”, but didn’t have the developed theologies of later contemporary Traditions.  The coven disbanded in the early 1940’s, and Anderson lost all further contact with the original members. 

Shortly after the coven disbanded, Anderson met Cora Ann Cremeans in 1944.  Their attraction was instance as both felt that they had met before.  They soon realized that their previous meetings had occurred on the astral plane, where they had travelled together and made love many times before.  Three days later on the 03^rd May 1944 they were married.  Cora’s family were Christian, but also practised folk magic and one of the first things they did together was to build an altar.  A year later in 1945 their son Victor Elon Anderson was born, the name “Elon” was given to Cora in a dream and means “Oak” in Hebrew. 

Cora was born on the 26^th January 1915 in a rural area of Alabama.   Her family although Christian, still practiced and believed in folk magic, her grandfather was known locally as a “root doctor”.  He cured Cora of a serious illness in her youth and later passed on his knowledge to her, as was their family tradition.  Cora is a natural psychic and an authentic kitchen Witch.  She later worked for years as a hospital cook and would often infuse healing energy into food for the patients.  Cora sometimes refers to herself as a simple “hill Witch”, but under that simplicity she has a profound understanding of both life and Craft practice. 

In 1948 Victor moved the family to Niles, California where they eventually purchased a home and settled for good in nearby San Leandro.  In the mid-1950’s after reading a book by Gerald Gardner called Witchcraft Today (1954), it appeared to Victor and Cora that Witchcraft as they knew it, seemed to be going public, which inspired them to start their own coven based on the knowledge they already shared.  They also received a letter in 1960 from Leo Martello and several other witches in Italy encouraging him to teach the Craft in California.  As a result they formed a coven known as “Mahealani”, the Hawaiian name for “full moon”. 

Cora Anderson

In the early 1960’s the Andersons broke up a fistfight between their only son Victor Elon Anderson and a neighbour’s boy Thomas deLong.  The boy, who later changed his name Gwydion Pendderwen, became a good friend of the family and studied with Victor who he considered his primary teacher and mentor.  Pendderwen soon become a major contributor to the Andersons developing practice.  Together he and Victor co-wrote most of their rituals, which added much to the Andersons existing practices and included some of the Celtic influences and lore that Penndderwen liked so much.  Over time as they began to initiate others, and they branched off to form their own covens, their joint teachings became known as ‘The Feri Tradition’, named after the Faerie witch Anderson had met as a child.

Gwydion Pendderwen

In the 1970s, the Andersons formed a new coven with together with Pendderwen and Alison Harlow, but the group disbanded after a few years and each went their separate ways.  Pendderwen continued to teach and initiate Feri Witches; he also began teaching what he called “Faery Shamanism” based on his preference for Irish and Welsh “Faery lore”.  As he initiated more and more people, his group or lineage became known as the “Watchmaker”.  His group however remains rather reclusive and not much is known about them outside their own circles.  

Alison Harlow went on to co-found a Feri coven called “Wings of Vanthi”, which is still meeting and teaching today.  The Vanthi line is unique in that it combines Feri practices with ritual elements taken from Gardenerian witchcraft, and is considered to be a form of Wicca.  They adhere to the common rule of the “Three-Fold Law of Return” and do not necessarily work with the same deities and spirits, as do most other forms of the Feri traditions.

Alison Harlow

For their part the Andersons taught and initiated a variety of individuals, both in their own coven “Nostos” and outside of it.  One initiate Starhawk, who popularised such Feri concepts as the Three Souls, and the Iron and Pearl Pentacles in her book:  The Spiral Dance.  Her own coven Compost served as the basis for Reclaiming, a separate tradition combining the spirituality of the Craft with political awareness and action.  Reclaiming draws much of its core material from the Feri tradition teachings and while not all Reclaiming members are Feri, there exists an initiatory linage of Feri within their tradition.  And so from early beginnings the Andersons teachings continues to spread as the Feri Tradition continues to grow and develop. 

Today the Feri Tradition has evolved into an initiatory mystery tradition of modern contempoary Witchcraft.  In the main, strong emphasis is placed on sensual experience and awareness, including sexual mysticism, which is not limited to heterosexual expression.  Feri witches often see themselves as “fey” acting outside social definitions and on the road to Fairyland.  They believe that much of reality is unseen, or at least has uncertain boundaries.  Within the Feri tradition there is a deep respect for the wisdom of Nature, a love of beauty and an appreciation of bardic and mantic creativity.  It should be noted that most Feri traditions are not considered to be Wicca. 

As well as teaching the Feri Tradition of Witchcraft and running his own coven ‘Nostos’ (aka Blue Circle), Victor was a long time member of the Alameda Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.  The Order was founded on the 6^th February 1898 in Seattle, Washington, by a group of six theater owners, and was originally founded to aid those people engaged in the performing arts profession.  As the order grew they became quite influencial, and can claim credit for establishing the “Mother's Day” holiday in the United States, as well as being the impetus for Social Security. 

Victor was also an associate of Max Freedom Long, the founder of the Huna Research Associates in 1945, later the Huna International Fellowship, to which he became an early long-standing member and supporter.  Huna is an Hawaiian word, and was first used by Long in 1936 to describe what he called “the secret science behind the miracles” the magic that ancient Hawaiian kahuna’s used and performed.  Now known and trademarked as Huna Research Inc., it’s a none profit organization that coordinates the teaching, research and practice of ancient Hawaiian beliefs. 

Over the years Victor and Cora Anderson have produced a number of books, most of which they self-published: 

Thorns of the Bloodrose by Victor Anderson (self-published in 1970) is a collection of his poetry.  Many of the poems it contains have since found their way into the rituals of many lines of the Feri tradition. 

Lilith's Garden by Victor Anderson (?????) is another collection of Victor's poetry, and includes some that were considered too scandalous for inclusion in the original volume.

Etheric Anatomy by Victor Anderson (?????) is a look at the psychic structure of the human being, with intuitive insights into some of the practices of Feri magick.

Fifty Years in the Feri Tradition by Cora Anderson (self-published in 1994) is a book of musings about the Feri tradition and its community.  Written by Cora to honour their 50th wedding anniversary in 1984.

On the 20^th September 2001, Victor Anderson collapsed at his home, and after a number of attempts to revive him en route to the hospital, he finally passed on.  The cause of his collapse has never been determined.  He left behind his beloved wife of 57 years Cora, his son Victor Elon, a daughter-in-law Lois Diane and grandchildren:  Victoria, Nathan and Elon Thomas.  He also had three adopted grandchildren:  Lori, Jared and Jason, and several great-grandchildren.  Not forgetting the members of his coven, Nostos (aka Blue Circle) and all the other Feri folk who were touched and inspired by his teaching.  He will be sorely missed by one and all. 

End.

Post Script:

A witch in need

Cora Anderson needs our help! 

Cora Anderson is the widow of the late Victor Anderson and the oldest living member of the Feri tradition.  She is now 92 years of age and needs our help.  At this time she is mostly bedridden, and can only sit up in a wheelchair for about an hour a day.  She was always such a strong woman in support of her husband when he was still around, and is no less so now that he is gone.  She determinedly wants to stay in her own home, where all her memories remain alive.  Social Services only contribute to pay for 8 hours a day of care service Monday through Friday, and only 5 hours a day on the weekends.  Quite simply this is not enough service to provide such a frail and elderly person with the care and attention she so justly deserves, particularly at weekends. 

Friends of Cora are trying to raise funds to provide the extra care and attention she so desperately needs.  They have set-up a website at: 

http://www.feritradition.org/announcements.htm 

Any donations to the fund “large or small” will be gratefully appreciated.  Please all include a note that your donation is for the Cora-Fund.

Cora would like to personally thank donors, so if you make a donation please include a mailing address where she can send you a personal “thank you” card.  In addition, an online community has been created to post updates on Cora's health and progress, and also to keep you advised on their fund-raising efforts.  This is also a forum for sharing Cora's wisdom and stories about both Victor and Cora.  If you have visited Cora in the past or even recently, and would like to share the experience of your visit, please post them to this “Live Journal” community: 

http://community.livejournal.com/victor_cora/

Sources:

So many, as yet to be posted  :-)

First published on the 03 April 2007, 17:31:31 © George Knowles

Best wishes and Blessed Be