The Hallowed Hearth - Beyond the Hearth: Cryptid Lore, Feminine Perspectives & Lisa Gembitsky of Cryptid Women’s Society

September 1, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Hallowed Hearth - Beyond the Hearth: Cryptid Lore, Feminine Perspectives & Lisa Gembitsky of Cryptid Women's Society

The Patupaiarehe—the luminescent blue-skinned fairy people of New Zealand—are said to live in the mist and cannot move without it. As a child growing up in Nongataha, on thousands of acres of Department of Conservation land, Lisa Gembitsky knew the stories well: don't whistle in the bush, don't talk to anyone who tries to speak to you, and if you hear music, leave immediately. One evening, when the volcanic mist dropped fast around her and three friends walking down a track they had built, they heard children laughing. There were only four of them. They knew it wasn't them. They ran.

That childhood encounter is one thread in a much larger story about how Gembitsky came to co-found Cryptid Women's Society International (CWS), a membership organization that funds indigenous-led cryptid research in the South Pacific and provides a support network for women who have had encounters they cannot explain.

How CWS Started: Lockdown, Loss, and a Skateboard

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What you'll learn

1 (01:59) **Welcome & Introduction of Cryptid Women’s Month** - The hosts welcome listeners and introduce the month-long theme celebrating women in the paranormal field.
2 (04:05) **Opening Tarot Card Reading for Lisa** - A live tarot pull sets the tone, with the card “The Magician” interpreted as a message of self-trust and capability.
3 (06:44) **Origin Story of Cryptid Women’s Society** - Lisa shares how the organization was born out of pandemic-era loss and a pivot toward the cryptid community.
4 (19:15) **Defining Cryptids & Paracryptids** - Lisa explains the organization’s key conceptual framework for understanding cryptid creatures.
5 (24:28) **Personal Encounters: The Patupaiarehe (Mist Fairies)** - Lisa recounts a childhood experience with New Zealand’s blue-skinned fairy people.
6 (37:14) **Cryptid Statues & Conspiracy Theories** - A humorous but insightful story about a Yowie statue in Australia and its missing anatomy.
7 (44:40) **Scale of Cryptid Activity in Australia** - Discussion of how Australia’s vast, empty interior provides ideal habitat for cryptids.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Katy, Rachel, and Haley are thrilled to welcome Lisa Gembitsky, founder of the Cryptid Women’s Society International! Together, we are diving into the heart of cryptid culture, discussing what it takes to build an inclusive community in a traditionally male-dominated field, and exploring the fascinating overlap between legendary creatures, regional folklore, and the human need to seek out the unknown. Gather around the flames with us as we discuss:

The Cryptid Women’s Society Story: How Lisa created a dedicated space for women, creators, and researchers in cryptozoology.
Voices in the Woods: The unique perspectives women bring to high-strangeness field research, storytelling, and monster lore.
Modern Legends: Why cryptid stories continue to capture our imaginations and bring communities together.

Turn the porch lights down, pour a warm drink, and join us around the hearth.

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