The best books on african religion and witchcraft recommended by jean fontaine. Witchcraft in europe and america is a comprehensive collection offering a wide range of writings on the subject of witchcraft. Although defined differently in disparate historical and cultural contexts, witchcraft has often been seen, especially in the west, as the work of crones who meet secretly at night. Witchcraft, violence and mediation in subsaharan africa in the greater majority of the world, the threat of witchcraft is a daily reality, where people live within a state of spiritual insecurity, vulnerable to psychic attack from those around them.
The dynamics of witchcraft and indigenous shrines among the. Again, witches are typically seen as particularly active after dusk, when lawabiding mortals are asleep. No limits on time periods covered, but all books should be nonfiction. Having established the instrumental role of the atlantic slave trade in fostering witchcraft beliefs at the source, in subsaharan africa, the paper next turns to latin america, the main destination of african captives. The impact of magic and witchcraft in the social, economic. A brief history of witches in america mental floss. Pdf witchcraft and african development researchgate. Without wishing to ignore the history and culture of witchcraft.
A study in the appropriation of the christian gospel. Pdf african witchcraft in theological perspective researchgate. It is based on the witchcraft suppression act 1895 of the cape colony, which was in turn based on the witchcraft. A true history of witchcraft 5 get any book for free on. A living vice in africa kisilu kombo witchcraft has been practised for centuries worldwide and it still deeply rooted in peoples lives such that it is not ready to eradicate sebald, 1978. Why that should be so is a question of history or prehistory, and cannot be discussed here. As such, it affords scholars an invaluable opportunity to explore this intriguing historical phenomenon from a variety of perspectives.
Witchcrafta traditional central africa perspective the. However, witchcraft is recognised as having a significant. This list is for nonfiction works that cover the history of witchcraft and witchhunts. A journal of african american religious history issn. Aug 30, 2010 belief in witchcraft widespread in africa. This paper examines the impact of witchcraft as an integral feature of traditional culture on african existence, notably community life, religion, politics, the law, and economic practice. Different african tribes refer to witchcraft differently. Witchcraft beliefs as a cultural legacy of the atlantic. Source for information on witchcraft, african studies of. A philosophical and theological analysis samuel waje kunhiyop introduction.
African belief in witchcraft has also led to horrific murders and mutilations in recent years. Belief in witchcraft is widespread across subsaharan african countries. This is an area of rolling hills with abundant rivers and streams. Fn39 formal punishments for the practice of witchcraft can range from fines to execution. Witchcraft today todays witchcraft beliefs and practices are as much products of modern dynamics as they are informed by longstanding tradition.
Witchcraft beliefs are not remnants of premodern cultures but contemporary phenomena embedded in, and partly constituted by. African witchcraft as a set of beliefs that varies region by region and has a good many consequences in everyday life, african witchcraft is in many respects similar to corresponding sets of beliefs found among peoples of other continents. It stresses the significance of traditional societys powerful egalitarian impulses as well as its profound conviction. The witchcraft suppression act 3 of 1957 is an act of the parliament of south africa that prohibits various activities related to witchcraft, witch smelling or witchhunting. Most black south africans selfidentify as christian and are members of the anglican and roman catholic churches or of. African witchcraft religion, spiritualism, and occult africa is the second largest continent in the world, yet it has a population of only 400 millionjust twothirds that of europe.
Witchcraft, culture, and theology in african development. An increase in the number of accusations of witchcraft. Meaning of witchcraft witchcraft is believed in almost all african societies. The best books on african religion and witchcraft five. Traditional rituals and witchcraft have a bearing on life and even politics in africa.
Witchcraft accusations and human rights this article explores potential communitybased interventions to assist victims of witchcraft accusations, based on fortyfive case studies from an experimental mobile legalaid clinic in malawi, a country in southeastern africa where witchcraft accusations are. Although defined differently in disparate historical and cultural contexts, witchcraft has often been seen, especially in the west, as the work of. The issue of witchcraft and its relationship to poverty in africa is often neglected or only hinted at in the literature on development. There are two main currents of witchcraft practised in the country.
However, the arrival of the europeans marked a significant turning point in the history of this agelong tradition and culture. If were going to look at a more modern witch, wed want to turn to alex mar, author of witches of america, last octobers cultural history of modern witchcraft and wicca in america. In some areas of africa, where civil wars and economic disasters have left society in disarray, the. Pdf impressive investment and growth figures and commercial writeups enthusing about africa rising up, the continent of the future, and so. Witchcraft accusations agains t chil dren in africa have received increasing international attention in the first decade of the 21st century the phenomenon of witchhunts in subsaharan africa is ancient, but the problem is reportedly on the rise, due to charismatic preachers such as helen ukpabio, as well as urbanization, poverty, conflict and fragmenting communities. Accumulation, wealth and belief in asante history 1, to the close of the nineteenth century, africa 53 1, 23 43. Peter anim and james mckeown, journal of religion in africa vi, no. Oct 24, 2014 christianity and islam still play the role of science and philosophy in many parts of africa, shaping the framing of issues. Witchcraft, culture, and theology in african development jim harries kima international school of theology maseno, kenya. This is evident by the fact that even though a significant percentage of the population of africa has been exposed to western scientific knowledge, witchcraft tendencies have remained a phenomenon among them even. The belief in occult forces is still deeply rooted in many african societies. Kingsley larbi, the development of ghanaian pentecostalism.
Pages in category african witchcraft the following 36 pages are in this category, out of 36 total. It is bantu witchcraft, similar to that known in south africa and involves the use of charms, muti and spells to achieve the clients ends. African religions and philosophy is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of africa. Introduction it is assumed in many parts of the world that witchcraft beliefs have given way to westernisation but in subsaharan africa, the belief in witchcraft is widely held miguel, 2005. The same dichotomy between sorcery and witchcraft exists sometimes more ambiguously in the beliefs of many peoples throughout the world. Zuesse divination and deity in african religions divination as a spiritual phenomenon has had very little written about it, perhaps due in part to the ready labeling of it as a form of magic and therefore irrational, utilitarian, egoistic, and insuffici ently religious. Belief in witchcraft widespread in africa live science. In witchcraft, violence, and democracy in south africa, adam ashforth examines how people in soweto and other parts of postapartheid south africa manage their fear of evil forces such as witchcraft. Fn38 south africa is in the process of reforming its apartheidera witchcraft suppression act, also taken from the british. Oct 28, 2017 a brief history of witches in america. Rowling started dabbling in the american history of. Books that cover witchhunts in a broader context i. Europeans must understand and appreciate this fact, but they must not close their eyes to its negative aspects. However, under every belief of any human group, there is a philosophical conception of some kind which explains.
Mar 01, 2012 witchcraft belief is a curse on africa. Witchcraft, culture, and theology in african development jim. Introduction it is assumed in many parts of the world that witchcraft beliefs have given way to westernisation but in subsaharan africa, the belief in witchcraft. Sudan is africas largest country, measuring roughly a quarter the size of the united states. African witchcraft is not easy to define when you consider there are more than 50 different nations currently making up the diverse population of the continent. Simple sorcery or the use of magic accessible to ordinary people, such as setting out offerings to helpful spirits or using charms, can be found in almost all traditional societies.
Football in africa observations about political, financial. Witchcraft, culture, and theology in african development nebula. Abstract a comparison between a forest and a vegetable plot illustrates problems arising from ignoring. Witchcraft is a broad term that varies culturally and societally, and thus can be difficult to define with precision. Some proponents hedge their claims, calling wicca a revival rather than a continuation of an ancient cult. Based on the fact that the knowledge of witchcraft can be abstracted from the discourse of the antiwitch, our approach will rely on the discourse of the institut des sciences animiques isa, an afrocentric research. Witchcraft belief in africa is expressed in different forms, according to region, religion, or. Westerners tend to think that african witchcraft is a peasant phenomenon that is gradually fading away as africa. The cosmology of witchcraft in the african context. Origins of sorcery and witchcraft in africa by prezi user. A comparison between a forest and a vegetable plot illustrates problems arising from ignoring cultural differences in contemporary mission. In any effort to understand how african peoples explain the world, belief in magic, sorcery, and witchcraft is critically important.
Understanding witchcraft accusations in africa jref. Aleksandra cimpric, children accused of witchcraft. For this reason, contemporary witchcraft can no longer be explained in terms of african tradition. One source has hinted that the bantu of the early iron age had acquired a set of beliefs which attributed evil mostly to human malice. With the coming of colonialism, however, africa was impacted on political, social, and economic levels, which are linked to the occult, and have led to a culture in which women are further to blame and are oppressed. Among most social science scholars of africa, particularly anthropologists, witchcraft is defined as an act of magic that results in harming a person or aspects of the material world on which he or she depends. Witchcraft and witchhunts in history nonfiction 90 books.
The first, often termed kamuti kahmooteh, is attributed to the kamba people. Prior to the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine, traditional medicine used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in africa in both rural and urban communities. Oddly enough, there may never have been any such cult. Rethinking religion, magic and witchcraft in south africa 25 society there was little to no debate on what constituted right religion that was, for the most part, a closed and coherent category, quite rigid in terms of what beliefs and practices could be included and which were unquestionably excluded. The theory of witchcraft amongst south african natives. Magic or at least the belief in magic is commonly used for personal, political, and financial gain. Witchcraft and oracles in africa n i l e w h i t e n i l e n i l e blu e n i l e riv e r m b o mu river u ele red sea khartoum port sudan kassala al obeid kusti wau juba egypt sudan eritrea ethiopia dem. Witchcraft as a religion was born in britain after world war ii and came out of the closet when the anti witchcraft laws there were repealed in 1953. The real history of witches, however, is dark and, often for the witches, deadly.
In spite of the many efforts to eradicate it, it continues to. At the time my brotherinlaw was telling me this story 2016, we had lost his. Most black south africans selfidentify as christian and are members of the anglican and roman catholic churches or of the predominantly black zion christian church. Anthropologists view withcraft as a psychic act which, in the words of evanpritchard 1937. A true history of witchcraft 4 get any book for free on. Witchcraft accusations against children in africa wikipedia.
Rethinking religion, magic and witchcraft in south africa. Witchcraft, violence, and democracy in south africa, ashforth. Evolution of witchcraft in africa lack of sufficiently recorded history precludes periodization of the evolution of witchcraft in african societies. Witchcraft witchcraft witchcraft in africa and the world. The emeritus professor of social anthropology at the london school of economics and author of speak of the devil says the dinka and the nuer are famous in anthropology for not being preoccupied with misfortune. Origins of sorcery and witchcraft in africa by prezi user on. It is based on the witchcraft suppression act 1895 of the cape colony, which was in turn based on the witchcraft act 1735 of the united kingdom. Ashforth examines the dynamics of insecurity in the everyday life of. Africans and westerners experience religion and spirituality in different ways. In this second edition, dr mbiti has updated his material to include the involvement of women in religion, and the potential unity to be found in what was once thought to be a mass of quite separate religions. Witchcraft or witchery is the practice of magical skills and abilities.
Christianity and islam are not against witchcraft they all belong to the same magical discourse. Trends and challenges of traditional medicine in africa. Subsaharan africa, the belief in witchcraft is widely held miguel. The origin of witches early witches were people who practiced witchcraft, using magic spells and calling upon. Impressive investment and growth figures and commercial writeups enthusing about africa rising up, the continent of the future, and so on, obscure the poverty, illiteracy, poor health and other hardships afflicting the vast majority of african people. A true history of witchcraft allee shadow tradition. The cosmology of witchcraft in the african context digital.
African witchcraft article about african witchcraft by the. Witchcraft of some sort has probably existed since humans first banded together in groups. The findings indicate that, witchcraft is a lived reality in congo as well as in africa, and certain people fall into poverty as a result of the oppressive forces of witchcraft. Voodoo and witchcraft africans and westerners experience. The history of the area is characterized by such invasions and warfare reining 1966. Despite that, africa has more than 1,000 ethnic groups and 6,000 different tribes, each with its own lifestyle, language, religion, and social customs. Witchcraft, the exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to control people or events, practices typically involving sorcery or magic. An empirical methodology of the study of witchcraft and.
Football in africa observations about political, financial, cultural and religious influences a prepublication of a phd research project by arnold pannenborg which deals with money, politics and power in african football. The azande people live in a large area in the center of africa, in the southwestern sudan, north of zaire and to the east of the central african republic. Not to mention the thousands of years of history on top of that. Witchcraft witchcraft in africa and the world britannica. Historical and spiritualreligious circumstances that propelled wealth creation. Witchcraft in the united states the burning platform. Witchcraft has its roots deep in african history and culture, long before the dawn of colonization. Magic, sorcery, and witchcraft in africa oxford reference. And, as the history of witch trials in england, as opposed to continen. In africa, witch doctors are consulted not only for healing diseases, but also for placing curses on rivals. Both faiths have different and competing forms of witchcraft and magic.
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