On the surface, White Magic is seemingly a cathartic collection of essays that reflect Elissa Washuta’s highly introspective, extremely personal (and quite revealing) experiences surrounding her battles with alcoholism, abusive relationships ending in heartbreak and pain, and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). With the help of counselors and therapists, she shares the results of their recommendations, their correct and incorrect conclusions, and subsequently the positive and negative effects it had on her life and mental health. However, at its core, she examines the tumultuous trials and tribulations experienced in her lifelong quest for help, healing, and peace. She is officially a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe but has ancestral ties to various other tribes and shares the evolution of her personal belief system which is rooted in Native American spiritualism and bolstered with blended doctrines, spells, and prayer. The book’s title lends itself to her years of self-study on the subject and her fascination with witchcraft from childhood to adulthood. She pulls examples from pop culture (music, television, movies, icons, etc), literary anecdotes, and academic citations to craft her fascinating critiques of White Magic, Wiccan principles, and the negative influence of commercialization and Westernized (non-Indigenous) influences on the practice of witchcraft. I loved the inclusion of historical snippets and how she weaved her commentary on colonization’s destructive aftereffects and the systemic disenfranchisement of Native Americans throughout a majority of the essays; not to mention her insightful exploration of generational/hereditary trauma. This book is rich and heavy - I needed to pause after each essay to digest what was presented. Not being familiar with her previous work, I opened this book with an open mind and no expectations and was not disappointed.
