Juju Lane writes for Psyche on the curious relationship between eco-activism and the faery faith:
It may seem that Paganism has returned to Ireland. But the truth is, it never really went away. What is new about this modern resurgence is that it has become an Indigenous European response to ecological destruction. Paganism in Ireland once served the needs of an agricultural society, but the lives of Irish people have since changed. Paganism, as an Indigenous environmental philosophy, is motivating new forms of environmental activism.
For Wells, practising Indigeneity means recognising fairy spirits and honouring the needs of the land. ‘Indigeneity comes from where you live, and how immersed you are in where you live,’ he told me. For those who locate spirituality within nature, the act of reclaiming responsibility for Earth’s spiritual wellbeing becomes a potent motivator of conservation.