Christophe Richard Ely Van De Ponseele (born March 20, 1974) - professionally known as Richard Ely - is a Belgian writer, journalist and ethnobotanist. Main instigator of the âÂÂTrolls & Legendsâ Festival in Mons (Belgium), he is also the former editor-in-chief of Khimaira magazine and the creator of the blog Peuple féerique to which he still contributes today. His books are mainly specialized in fairies and/or nature.
Richard Ely was born on March 20, 1974, and raised in Ellezelles â a small village situated in the âÂÂPays des collinesâ in Belgium and renown for his witchcraft folklore. He studied humanities and social sciences in Louvain-La-Neuve University (UCL) until 2001 and developed a passion for folklore and fantasy. Here he met Pierre Dubois, famous âÂÂelficologistâ (specialist in fairies and other similar beings)m French writer Claude Seignolle and Belgian writer Thomas Owen. Since 2011, he also holds a diploma in applied ethnobotanic from Lille II University where he dedicated his research to the use of herbal remedies growing in the Pays des Collines region.
In 2005, Richard created â together with the NPO he founded, Anthêsis ASBL - the âÂÂTrolls et Legendsâ Festival. He later explained in an interview for Le Soir how he came up with the whole idea of such a festival. It started from the huge success of the first installment of the movies âÂÂThe Lord of the RingsâÂÂ. The âÂÂTrolls et Legendsâ Festival was so popular it emulated many fairies and fantasy festivals across Belgium and France such as âÂÂLe Printemps des Légendesâ in Monthermé, âÂÂCidre et Dragonsâ in Normandy or the âÂÂFéeries du Bocageâ in Voulx.
From January 2005 to October 2010, Richard was the editor-in-chief of Khimaira magazine - a national publication distributed in bookshops across France and specialized in fantasy and science fiction. In late 2010, Khimaira magazine became a website.
In 2012, Richard launched the idea of the âÂÂJournées féeriques du 1er maiâ â a celebration of the fairies taking place at the same time in different locations. May 1 is a symbolic date in terms of fairies and many ancient festivals such as the Beltaine or the Floralia in honour of Flora are related to it. The first edition of the âÂÂJournées féeriques du 1er maiâ was followed by three new âÂÂ1st of Mayâ festivals : the âÂÂJournées féeriques du 1er Maiâ in Avesnois (Prisches, France); Les rencontres Féeriques de Shawinigan in Quebec and Les Collines enchantées in Flobecq (Belgique).
Today, Richard allocates his time to his Fairies and Nature activities on his blog Peuple féerique, continues writing books, and carries on with his ethnobotanic research in the Pays des Collines - research aimed at understanding the relation between humans, plants and beliefs.
Mainly in Khimaira magazine.