Witchcraft in Africa - Coursework Example

Witchcraft in Africa The belief of things that go beyond rational explanation and even in those outside the bound of scientific principles has become one of the common social practices in both the old classical and until now in the modern times. The belief in supernatural things cannot be overlooked because they truly exist and anthropologists themselves can have substantial point of views to back this claim. There are many places around the world that they can truly consider in order to provide the most outstanding cases to support this argument. In fact, Africa is one of these places that until now promote witchcraft, and anthropologists at some point have found to be one of the interesting places for their study. Witchcraft is deeply rooted in African societies. In particular, it has characterised Central Africa (Mair 200). As documented, mystical power, magic, witchcraft and sorcery exist in Africa (Mbiti 189). That is why even if in its modern time, the belief in occult forces has been remarkably strengthened. According to a study, social stress or strain linked to modernisation led to the increasing practice of witchcraft (Kohnert 1347). This has a significant connection as to why even after colonialisation, Africans still believed in witchcraft. Colonialism introduced in Africa was said to increase the fear linked to witchcraft and sorcery (Winzeler 177). However, after the colonial rule and influence, many Africans still adhered to their belief in witchcraft (Flint 22). In Kenyan culture in particular, witchcraft was spotted alive in Africa. This culture in the primitive time believed that witchcraft can be capable of helping them fight their wars, in obtaining independence, to cure diseases or even finding a partner for life (BBC News; Rath). However, Kenyan culture also believed in the power of magic charms that could be the most effective way to keep in touch in witchcraft activity at the optimum level and advantage (Rath). On the other hand, the Sub-Saharan African culture persistently believes in witches, witchcraft and even the actual art in bewitching others (Lightfoot 204). In other words, this culture has the prevailing thought about witchcraft as something useful or destructive just as the Kenyan culture believes about. In central African culture, witchcraft was also remarkably observed. In particular, the Zande of the Congo and some other central African people believed in witchcraft. As some anthropologists believe that this is something like an evil-working capacity, the Azande believe that the evil can be beaten through spells or implementation of potions (Woog 17). Azande also believe that the power to initiate witchcraft-related activities increases with age and this power is found somewhere in the stomach (Durrant and Bailey 22). The central African culture believes that witchcraft requires assistance coming from animals (Woog 17). This brings the birth of the common notion about the owl, cats and other familiar animals as among the ultimate partners of a witch. The actual practice of witchcraft in the African cultures is a scenario that Anthropologists were willing to investigate. Some anthropologists found that Africans were just making a practical approach towards witchcraft as an opportunity for them to relate their old concepts and traditions relevant to health and healing, which in the long run were integrated into their socio-economic and moral concerns (Flint 22). Others argue that witchcraft has positive cognitive and social benefits (Bailey and Peoples 226). In fact, in Africa, witchcraft has political, economic and moral implications (Ciekawy 225). Anthropologists believed that these must all be in line with the past socio-cultural practices and orientation of the African people. The natives must have substantially built up an institution or complex societal structure, by which witchcraft may have important functional value. For instance, witchcraft as already stated, is linked to health and healing. There are various practices in the old times, by which people living in the old classical times will have to consider living as one with the nature (Buckland 385). Science was not even progressing that time, although primitive people in Africa had already some scientific discoveries and principles that they employed in the daily life. However, there were various phenomena that eventually led the primitive Africans to consider the forces of nature, leading them to grasp the idea about the existence of supernatural power (Bailey 114). As observed by various anthropologists, these practices were not only common in Africa, but in the other parts of the world. This means that the primitive Africans or the people were careful to link their daily lives with the natural forces of nature. This even led many of them, or the entire culture to believe in what they have to believe until now, such as witchcraft and the existence of extra-natural powers that at some point cannot be defined or explained by scientific principles. However, anthropologists are interested to learn many things about witchcraft. In the first place, they want to know if the level of its implementation has something to do with the modernity, which encourages the level of education that must be a fundamental source of knowledge. In a certain study, when it comes to the level of belief in magical ideation, the South Africa’s university students’ Magical Ideation Scales were lower compared to secondary school students’ (Peltzer 1419). This means that the level of education has a significant contributing factor concerning the prevailing belief in witchcraft. The result of this study shows a remarkable implication that education is a very important source of power to destroy or eliminate primitive thoughts. This therefore will pave the way or opportunity to consider that as long as many Africans remain uneducated, the belief in witchcraft in this culture will continue to prevail. The prevalence of this belief, however, cannot be guaranteed to be only controlled by the level of education. There are still other potential factors for consideration, but education can bring forward the appropriate academic thought that in a way will be based purely on logic and physical proofs. The modernisation has a significant contribution in the level of occurrence of witchcraft and fundamental view of it (Ashforth 116). Many people, as far as they become educated, are ready to forget their traditions and go for what seems to be of high economic or profitable value that in a way will never surpass logic or radical viewpoints prior to the accomplishment or establishment of things. However, this argument is far from what Flint argued. Anthropologists try to consider the exact justification of this way of thinking. In fact, Bailey, Peoples, and Ciekawy emphasized that there are logical reasons as to why Africans continue to believe in witchcraft even if educating the people seems to be the most feasible solution to do. For them, there are values that could go within the socio-economic, political and moral concerns. Even if education seems to be the most enticing way to help the people to get out from their old customs, traditions and beliefs, there still remain a radical point of view that will still have to be considered especially in cases when a certain cultural practice has remarkable implication to what exactly could benefit the people. Witchcraft is considered to have potential benefit within the African culture. Although, the establishment of colonial mentality at some point destroyed this way of thinking, some Africans still adhere to the point that witchcraft is a remarkable way for them to lead them to good health and healing and other relevant justifications with rational bases. There are major points why they considered this so. First, Africans were suppressed by colonial rule, allowing them to set free their old cultural practices and religion, by which from the start they considered to be essential for their living or survival (Boahen 217). Second, anthropological findings reveal that Africans may find significant positive cognitive or social benefits in witchcraft (Bailey and Peoples 271). This therefore implies that witchcraft among Africans is not just an ordinary issue, but it is something with essential rational justifications. It is something that allows people to see a different value of it, just as how someone looks a remarkable value coming from certain things with cultural relevance. In other words, witchcraft, from the point of view of those who are still practicing it in Africa is something with rational justification that in one way or another, allows a person to consider its relevant rational value. On the other hand, the modern witchcraft may have evolved in its essence. In particular, the changing time frame or set up is a very important view to be taken into account. However, modern anthropologists at some point may have a relevant contribution concerning this matter. The modernity may pose a significant threat on the appreciation of modern transformed witchcraft movement in Africa leading to the inception of prejudiced anthropology (Munster 46). Many anthropologists are taking the view that there is nothing wrong with witchcraft, or they are seeing the rational justification of it, as discussed earlier. This according to some critique of this belief leads to the probable emancipation of prejudiced anthropology. This is actually trying to consider taking a look into one side alone, allowing the elimination of the possibility of looking into the other possible perspectives. However, this point of view triggers the potential to consider witchcraft as something different from how it was considered in the primitive historical setting. The probable bias that some anthropologists may place on witchcraft is something that will lead to its appreciation and even further justification as to how it has become rational among Africans to implement it among themselves. The issue in which the rationality of witchcraft is questioned or considered is something that requires a more meaningful approach. What so rational about witchcraft is an issue that anthropologists may find themselves engaged in and at some point others may find them employing the biased anthropology in the process. This is quite an interesting point of view linking witchcraft and the actual implementation of anthropological concerns, but the bottom line in this is the thought that witchcraft in Africa together with its prevailing practice is something that requires more fundamental research studies. The issue is not just a matter of a not so relevant claim, but it has also practical implications, particularly in understanding the prevailing African culture. Many anthropologists find interest in this subject, but the fundamental view point is to take into account the other interesting thoughts or perspectives that are hidden within the idea of witchcraft practice in Africa even in today’s modern or contemporary time. This at some point will have to either eliminate or supplement the present perspective concerning the issue as to the level of biased anthropology involved in witchcraft. In fact, this may even lead to a more in depth realization of socio-economic and political concerns, as already stated earlier. However, it is also good to take a look into the associated socio-economic and political concerns relevant to this issue. There is a thought that inequalities have fundamental role in the existence of occult in the African continent, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (Smith 142). These inequalities may be in line with economic concerns for instance. Those Africans who are struggling with their economic needs may have no other choice, but to allow their fate to be controlled by their belief of the existence of supreme or supernatural power. This leads them to consider that believing in something that might not involve money or other relevant tools will only have to be addressed through their belief of the existence of supernatural forces in nature, paving the way for them to rely so much on witchcraft and classical belief system from their ancestors. However, there are also some other Africans who were found practicing occult or witchcraft and they seem to be somewhere having a substantial financial means to succeed in life. This therefore leads to the thought that inequality alone cannot solely stand as a single factor to be considered to say something about the incidence of witchcraft in Africa especially in modern times. On the other hand, the said inequality may also lead to the gap between the educated and uneducated individuals. Those educated at some point, may no longer participate in witchcraft or have substantial thought about it. Rather, they will have to consider the more educated approach in seeing things around them. On the contrary, the uneducated may be tempted to believe in something even not justifiable or anything without considerable rational thoughts. For this reason, everything that requires their belief might only be the necessary requirements. However, unconsciously, it is also arguable if they also look into the possibility of a rational choice. As discussed earlier, the implementation of witchcraft could also be something out of a rational choice. For this reason, it is a remarkable point of view to closely analyze the possibility as to the economic value linked to witchcraft. In fact, it is not only the economic value that anthropologists are interested to find out as to the continuous participation of Africans in witchcraft. There are other essential thoughts that are required prior to the prevailing conditions of the implementation of witchcraft. In a nutshell, the work at hand just provides the fundamental thoughts in line with witchcraft in Africa. As stated, witchcraft may have potential values among those who employ even in the midst of modernisation and the influence of colonialisation. On the other hand, it is also discussed that there is a rational consideration involved in the implementation of witchcraft. Whatever it is that makes it rational, Africans may have essentially found it through their belief of the super natural forces in the nature. This is something that requires more meaningful research studies that in the future will either eliminate or justify the prevailing idea on biased anthropology. Works Cited Ashforth, Adam. Witchcraft, Violence, and Democracy in South Africa. London: University Chicago Press, 2005. Print. Bailey, Garrick and James Peoples. Essentials of Cultural Anthropology. 2nd ed. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Bailey, Joseph A. Echoes of Ancient African Values: None. Bloomington, IN: Author House, 2005. Print. BBC New. Is witchcraft alive in Africa?, 27 July 2005. Web. 26 March 2014. . Boahen, A. Adu. Africa Under Colonial Domination, 1880-1935, Volume 7. CA: University of California Press, 1990. Print. Buckland, Raymond. The Spirit Books: The Encyclopedia of Clairvoyance, Channeling, and Spirit Communication. Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press, 2005. Print. Ciekawy, Diane. “Women’s “work” and the construction of witchcraft accusation in coastal Kenya.” Women’s Studies International Forum 22.2 (1999): 225-235. Print. Durrant, Jonathan Bryan, and Michael David Bailey. Historical Dictionary of Witchcraft. Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield, 2012. Print. Flint, Karen Elizabeth. Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948. Scottsville: Ohio University Press, 2008. Print. Kiernan, James. The Power of the Occult in Modern Africa: Continuity and Innovation in the Renewal of African Cosmologies. London: LIT Verlag Munster, 2006. Print. Kohnert, Dirk. “Magic and witchcraft: Implications for democratization and poverty-alleviating aid in Africa.” World Development 24.8 (1996): 1347-1355. Print. Lewis, Ioan. M. Social and Cultural Anthropology in Perspective. Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2003. Print. Lightfoot, Anthony. Not Just Recovered But Delivered II: He is Able. Bloomington, IN: Author House, 2010. Print. Mair, Lucy. Anthropology and Social Change. Athlone Press, 1971. Print. Mbiti, John S. African Religions & Philosophy. Oxford: Heinemann, 1990. Print. 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