How and why did the first Thanksgiving really happen? When did it find its way to Canada? And why do we eat turkey anyway? Find out on this week’s episode as Devin and Sonya dive into the good, the bad, and the ugly about this holiday.

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Indigenous people, European colonisers, and enslaved West Africans all had unique beliefs surrounding witchcraft. What happened when these disparate and often contradictory belief systems collided in the “New World” colonies? Devin and Sonya discuss the ways witch beliefs across cultures came together to form a uniquely North American idea of witches, and how this shaped the way we think about witchcraft today.

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How do you process the death of a loved one? And how do you come to terms with your own mortality? This week, Devin, Sonya, and heir guest Taylor (a death studies scholar) will dive into the history of death rituals, dead bodies, and how people throughout history have dealt with death.

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For centuries, October 31st has been believed to be a night of great supernatural power, when the spirits of the dead returned and witches were at the height of their power. Where did these ideas come from, and how did it turn into a children’s holiday? Sonya and Devin discuss all this and more in this Halloween episode!

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Witches had a place in Europe for centuries, so why did they suddenly come under attack between 1450-1750? And what, exactly, is a witch anyway? Sonya and Devin, two historians, discuss witchcraft, magic, and why these women were hunted and killed.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birthdays are milestones for us, and we celebrate with candles on a cake, the birthday song, presents, and cards. But how did these traditions start? And why do we celebrate the day we’re born anyway? This week, Sonya and Devin take a look at a ubiquitous, but relatively new, tradition.

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Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Or is that just a marketing ploy? This week Sonya and Devin dive into the history and folklore surrounding common fall foods, like apples and squash. How were these foods eaten and harvested, what kinds of rituals surrounded them, and what did they mean to people of the past?

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How do people celebrate the autumn equinox? What rituals did they perform at this time? And does pumpkin spice latte actually contain pumpkin? All this and more on this week’s episode about the Autumn Equinox!

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Why do we have a summer break? When did a time to go “back to school” become standardised? And why do we all have to go to school anyway? All this and more on this weeks’ episode, where Devin and Sonya talk about the history and cultural impact of public education.

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