Hello fellow Ozians! This month we are celebrating Women's History Month with one magical and powerful woman, Locasta, The Good Witch of the North. This woman is a very obscure and under appreciated character; but, actually has quite some power in the Land of Oz. She is the first witch that Dorothy meets in the Land of Oz and the one that sends our heroine in the direction of the Emerald City. She also gives Dorothy the power of protection with her kiss and sends her off with some very magical footwear. So, even though she may not have Glinda's power or Elphaba's powers, she is still a force with which to be reckoned. I mean, by Baum's second story, she had banned all witchcraft and magic in the North, which is why Mombi was such a great fascinating character. Quite the rebel! But, where did this person come from, what is her origin story, what has been her magical impact been on the Land of Oz, and how can we celebrate this amazing witch of the North? All these questions will be answered in today's post as we celebrate the magical being, The Good Witch of the North. We first meet The Good Witch of the North, named Locasta in Baum's 1902 play, along with Dorothy as she discovers the Land of Oz. Locasta (and the munchkin council) welcome Dorothy to the Land of Oz. Locasta's power, as we learn right off the bat, is that she has the power of transformation because she turned a hat into a chalkboard that told Dorothy to visit the Wizard of Oz in the City of Emeralds. She also has the power of protection with her kiss that she gave to Dorothy and the limited power of teleportation because she transferred the silver slippers onto Dorothy's feet (unless the shoes did that themselves?). Lastly, the Good Witch of the North has the power to call upon Winter and the Snow Queen in Baum's 1902 play. Check it out in my Snow in Oz post. What other powers do you know our good witch to have? Please feel free to comment below. Now, aside from her known powers, Locasta's origin story is never actually divulged in the Baum series of books. It is actually detailed out in the Second Royal Historian's book, The Giant Horse of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson. I did a whole post on #RPT in last year's YEAR OF OBSCURE. So, if you want to know more about this lovely woman's contribution to the Oz History, check it out here. Now, back to the main star, Locasta Tattypoo, The Good Witch of the North. In her origin story, we learn a full name, Locasta Tattypoo, the feuding history behind her and Mombi, what growing up as a young princess was like in Oz, and how she ended up being the only witch to greet Dorothy in the Munchkin Country as she arrived. It is a story I myself have not read, so if you have read it, feel free to post your thoughts and comments below. One thing I do know is that #RPT has a reputation of being creative, fun, and enjoyable with the Land of Oz stories. After learning about her origin story, we can see her magical legacy through media adaptations. The Good Witch of the North's magical impact spans multiple media adaptations and above are a few of the adaptations that I have selected to showcase, which highlight different versions of the The Good Witch of the North. For a full list of magical media adaptations where the Good Witch of the North has left her mark, feel free to check that out here. In the mean time, here is an animation done by the artist GemTapp, who offers a very accurate interpretation of how she was envisioned in the original Baum story that featured her first appearance. Let me know your favorite adaptation of the Good Witch of the North in the comments below. So, how can we celebrate such an amazing and magical woman in the Land of Oz? Well, I think one great way to celebrate someone is through amazing fan art, as least in my opinion. So, let's check out a few interpretations of how The Good Witch of the North has inspired different artists. Feel free to celebrate the Good Witch of the North by posting something that inspires you, whether it be a coloring page, your own fan art, or some amazing craft that you have done. It is all appreciated here and it is always Good Witch approved. Well, that will do it for this post on Locasta Tattypoo, Good Witch of the North. If you have anything you would like to add concerning this amazing character, feel free to post it in the comments below. Also, feel free to let me know how you celebrate this amazing woman (womxn?) in the Land of Oz. Now, before we leave, I would also like to share some great podcasts that feature the protagonist of our post. First, feel free to check out this podcast episode all on the good witch of the north from Down the Yellow Brick Podcast. These ladies are wonderful and very delightful to listen to each episode, especially in the Chapter 2 episode on the Good Witch of the North, where they wonder is she really as good as she says? A second great podcast is Hit the Bricks in which it tells a story about Jessi, her cousin Wallace, and their adventures in the land of Oz, where they eventually meet up with the Good Witch of the North, who aids them on their quest through Oz. So, when feel free to check out that story here; and, until next time, when we come back to Oz with The Easter Bunny in the Land of Oz, we'll be seeing you somewhere over the Vinkus.
0 Comments
|
Posts by Years
All
Archives
May 2024
AuthorMy name is Vinkus Ken and I have been a long time fan of many things in Oz and how their world truly does emulate much of ours. Did you know that they have a flag of their own? Or did you know that they have a law about only having 9 jurors in their courts? Also, Oz has a court system! I like to introduce facts that seem meaningless and bring meaning to them by comparing them to our world. So, come along on this journey and enjoy the ride. |