Witches online : A qualitative content analysis of occulture in Witchtuber's descriptions of ritual practice and showcasing of objects in connection to the holiday of Samhain

The purpose of this essay is to concisely present an overview of the Pagan ritual practice before the Christianization of Ireland and the United Kingdom, which enables tracking down the connection and relationship between them and three American and British, Wiccan Youtube-creators nicknamed Witchtubers. Witchtuber’s description of Samhain and objects visible in chosen videos are analyzed from Christopher Partridge’s theory of Occulture along with the parameters of acceptance, harmonization and the centralization of Goddess-worship concluded by previous studies. Also causes of the development of Neo-Paganism and Wiccain the U.K. and USA have been a part of this research in being able to further draw connections between today’s practice amongst Witchtubers and previous research. In able to do this, Content analysis has been applied to the transcriptions made by the author of this essay in order to analyze the parameters of reference-features, proportional and thematic content. In conclusion, the analysis of Witchtuber’s videos along with previous research by scholars confirm the theory of Occulture along with the question of acceptance and harmonization though leaving the question of Goddess-centering as more of a possibility of representing the mere majority of practitioners. Fragmented pieces of information about the Pagan past is left and scholars claim Irish and British Paganism to have been extinct since the overthrow by Christians. It has left the practitioners of Wicca with their own interpretation and manipulation of Paganism. Witchtuber’s statements and showcasing of objects match scholar’s descriptions of historical context to the development of the Wiccan movement apart from a few exceptions. Those which cannot be directly connected rather indicate the continuous development of the movement as of being a personal religion