What's the Harm in Witchcraft?

A year ago, on last Halloween, I posted on the gruesome reality of witchcraft in Tanzania. But, it's not just for Halloween here. Since my post last year, more people with albinism have been attacked or killed for their body parts to bring "good luck." More elderly women have been murdered for their red eyes, being blamed for deaths or crop failures. The Legal and Human Rights Centre, a civil society organisation in Tanzania, estimated there are as many as 500 elderly murders a year. And with this year's national election, despite claims of "banning witchcraft," it seems the witchdoctors have continued to play a role in the "luck" of politics. 

CBN4 reported that during the election this month, some politicians continued to seek out the witchdoctors. Before the election, one witchdoctor, "Doctor" Manyaunyau (which effectively translates as "meow") said “the big candidates who are running for parliamentary seats or for president send me their assistants: with his or her assistant, I plan an appointment to meet the famous politician in a hidden place. Right now, we can’t be separated, I’m still communicating with them, until the end of the election."

Manyaunyau lives in a house given as gift to him by a re-elected government minister. He is called "Meow" because he decapitates cats (either by chewing off or chopping off their heads) so their blood can be drunk in order to bring "good luck." He has a website, and I clicked on it to reference in this blog, but felt physically sick just with a 2 second glance and immediately closed it down. Sickening.

It is hidden and dark. But it is subversive and prevalent. It is powerful and it is controlling. Mathias Chikawe, Home Affairs minister is reported to have said, “Law by itself cannot stop it, and even our warnings to the public, to the leaders, to business communities, will not stop it either.” And I agree. The power of witchcraft cannot be undone by human laws or human effort.  

Tanzania has now elected a new president, John Pombe Magufuli. The CCM party continues to hold power. It was the closest, most tense election in the history of the country. And yes, it has been a strange week for us staying glued to home in Mwanza, although full of fun and political pontificating with other housebound friends! The result was announced amidst much doubt and mistrust. It was announced as the Zanzibar vote (for which the opposition claimed victory) was annulled and tensions were rising throughout the island. The EU expressed their concerns of a lack of transparency of the whole election and many cried out against foul play. The result was contested by the opposition, but all this was quickly dismissed. Yet, through it all, the peaceful nature of Tanzanians held strong and despite some rather loud tear gas bombs, peace won over violence. 

CCM celebrating Magufuli's victory

While thankful for the apparent current peace, I am sickened by all that brews under the surface. I know I don't understand the full picture, nor do I know or see the half of it. But wherever there is evil that is hidden, which is disguised, or hidden in shrouds of darkness, it will bring harm and eat away at peace. Witchcraft, wherever it is and in whatever form, will bring harm and eat away at peace.

My prayer is that the new leaders of this nation will come into the light; that laws and government could be built on and formed out of truth; that justice could prevail and ultimately true peace.

Gory and Gruesome: Reality not Make-Believe

With black capes and pointed hats in fun displays next to sweeties and fancy dress costumes, it is easy to think of witches and witchcraft as some harmless make-believe. But it is not so easy in Tanzania. Far from harmless, it has led to the murders of hundreds of people, and many even just this month.

For Josephat John, on Monday, October 6th in Murufiti, Kigoma Region, witchcraft was far from harmless make-believe. "When I returned home in the evening, I found the body of my mother lying 10 meters away from our house, while the body of my father was burnt inside the house,"  (Mwananchi newspaper, October 13th). Seven people accused of being "witches" were brutally murdered that day; bodies hacked with machetes and people burned to death. Men, women and children of the village fled. Later, 23 people were arrested for the rampage attack, including local leaders and witchdoctors.

In Shinyanga on the following Tuesday, two more women were brutally murdered. Three men slit their throats and chopped their bodies into pieces with machetes. They accused the women of casting spells that made them sexually impotent. While children in other countries this week play at gory and gruesome, this is tragically real.

For the three men in Shinyanga, their belief in witchcraft explained their impotence. For many in Tanzania, witchcraft is used to explain why bad things happen, why someone dies, gets sick, has a bad crop or loses livestock.  People believe that magic users (witches) have the power to cause disease, death, crop failure, impotence or bad luck of any kind. Diviners (or witch doctors) are consulted to determine what and more importantly, who is to blame. Those blamed tend to be those least defensible, often elderly women. These women are blamed because of their red eyes which are quite simply a result from cooking over a very smoky three-stone fire (often burning dung) in unventilated huts.

According to a Religion and Public Life study, Tanzania has the highest population of people who believe that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm or bring them good luck. Over 60% of Tanzanians (which includes Christians and Muslims) practice or incorporate elements of witchcraft into their daily lives. Fishermen on Lake Victoria believe that a successful catch depends on a sacrifice from human organs (particularly from people with albinism). Gold miners in Geita believe their good luck will come from human body parts. African dance groups, political leaders, football players … so many people believe that a visit to the witchdoctor and magical potion will bring them success. Even at the extreme cost of another’s life.

The Legal and Human Rights Center recently reported that in Tanzania, in the first six months of this year, there have been 320 reported killings (actual numbers are assumed higher as many cases are unreported) related to witchcraft . These figures have gone up significantly since last year. In 2013, the total deaths reported were 303; in 2012 there were a total of 336. And the region with the highest percentages of witchcraft practices (and killings) is the Mwanza and Shinyanga regions of Sukumaland. The Sukuma people are widely known for their strong magic powers and ancestral "living dead" beliefs.

We are becoming increasingly aware of the evils of witchcraft here. We have already shared much on this blog about the plight of people with albinism due to witchcraft. In addition to this, recently a secondary school on one of the islands on Lake Victoria completely closed down due to witchcraft. Socerers are known to go around from school to school with a drum, literally "drumming" demons into students. This is particularly prevalent amongst teenage girls (for sexual reasons and due to their vulnerability). The consequences are many. This is no light-hearted trick-or-treat round.

This is a sombre post and with witchcraft a bit of a "taboo" topic (even here), I hesitated to share it. I know many of you may have the funky witch costumes ready. But whatever you are doing this Halloween, do remember that witchcraft is not make-believe and it can have tragically real gory and gruesome consequences. Tomorrow many children will be actually trying to look like murderers or butchered, scarred victims. Why do we make-believe gory and gruesome, pretending that killings, blood and scars are funny and witches are imaginary?

But although witchcraft is a powerful force of evil, it is not something we need to fear. Jesus did not hide from it. It was at Golgotha, the gruesome Place of the Skull, that Jesus defeated the powers of evil. Jesus did real gory with real blood that dripped out of real love. But although stripped of ultimate power, the power of evil is still roaming everywhere, (maybe just a little more vividly and tragically here right now in Tanzania), so don't turn out the lights; shine the light into the darkness. Our Father in Heaven, HALLOWED be Your Name ... 

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net