The Power of the Bruxa: Resistance, Empowerment and Transreligiosity in the Everyday of Contemporary Pagan Women in Portugal

Abstract

The figure of the witch (bruxa) has been historically and contextually diverse, often shaped by gendered perceptions. With the rise of the feminist movement and Contemporary Paganism, the term ‘witch’ transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance and empowerment for women. It became a tool for women to challenge social expectations and assert their agency, embodying a subversive stance that promotes personal strength and social critique. Drawing on ethnographic research with Portuguese women who identify as both ‘pagan’ and bruxas, this article explores how embracing this identity is an everyday act of resistance, following the framework of anthropologist James C. Scott. Furthermore, the article argues that this affirmation is also transreligious, as proposed by anthropologists Eugenia Roussou and Anastasios Panagiotopoulos, since it encompasses spiritual, religious, political, and socio-environmental dimensions that intertwine in women’s daily lives and identity formation. Both approaches highlight how women within contemporary pagan circles reinterpret and reshape traditional elements—using spiritual and political processes to confront structural challenges. The term ‘bruxa’ is a form of empowerment and resistance that blurs the boundaries between the spiritual and the political, providing ways to understand and cope with their anxieties, amid ongoing socioenvironmental crises.