The university of south africa has generously funded the manuscript preparation of the first and the second editions. A philosophical and theological critique of intersubjective relations elias kifon bongmba a bold work of african philosophy and theology that brings together witchcraft and the philosophy of levinas. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. A wizard, on the other hand, is a man who is believed to have magic powers, especially to do evil things. The african ejournals project has digitized full text of. The chapters explore a variety of cultural contexts, with contributions focusing on cameroon, central african republic, ghana, mali.
It is accessible and handy to a wider range of readers, ranging from educators and students of african philosophy, anthropology, african studies, cultural studies, and all those concerned with the further development of african philosophy and thought systems on the african continent. Abstract it is generally believed in west africa that apart from the outward material appearance, there. The impact of magic and witchcraft in the social, economic. This could include sucking of blood, eating, holding of meetings. To the shona witchcraft and magic include both good and evil and both are in essence spiritual possession. 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, indulge in.
A common theme between the essays is that a word shared by different cultures can have different extensions while being. Newcomers from rural areas have little to offer but unskilled manual labour. African traditional religion has grown out of the african soil. No effort was made to represent what constituted witchcraft from an african perspective. This book features a collection of essays that seek to provide accurate and welldeveloped characterizations of the epistemological and metaphysical concerns that shaped the conceptual languages and philosophical thought of subsaharan africa. Traditional religions and philosophy like mbiti, ayisi, kirwen, harries, and others, i constantly hear them state that witchcraft in the african tra. A witch is a woman who is believed to have magic powers, especially to do evil things. Christianity and islam still play the role of science and philosophy in many parts of africa, shaping the framing of issues. First, is how we can meaningfully talk about african metaphysics and secondly, is how we can. Our attempt in this paper is to examine african traditional metaphysics in the understanding of witchcraft. Again, witches are typically seen as particularly active after dusk, when lawabiding mortals are asleep. Meaning of witchcraft witchcraft is believed in almost all african societies.
African concept of being, with special reference to the concept of witchcraft and medicine in af rica ansah richard university of cape coast the problem of being is the core problem of metaphysics, and of course one of the perennial problems in western philosophy. Witchcraft simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Frazer both conducted research into the separate nature of the two belief systems and came to the general conclusion that magic was not a false religion. An expository study of witchcraft among the basoga of uganda. Witchcraft still causes major social problems in this country. Analytic experiments in african philosophy, stanford university. D department of philosophy, veritas university, abuja.
The cosmology of witchcraft in the african context african seventh. Witchcraft witchcraft witchcraft in africa and the world. It deals with witchcraft as a manifestation of africas magic worldview and. In this study i argue that african theological reflection has not addressed witchcraft adequately. This volume draws on a range of ethnographic and historical material to provide insight into witchcraft in subsaharan africa. To accept such generalized views that witchcraft was never tolerated in any african society points to a narrower conception of witchcraft as it also brings suspicion of othering in society. In the introduction witchcraft gets some detailed attention and this is followed up. Most africans need no special orientation to believe that witchcraft exists, which means. Christianity and islam are not against witchcraft they all belong to the same magical discourse. Oluwoles witchcraft, reincarnation and the godhead. Africans enquiring about the reality and actual existence of witches and witchcraft. There are, still in existence, cave paintings of such rituals, together with. Even within the church, some adherenjs strongly believe in witchcraft. The dynamics of witchcraft and indigenous shrines among.
This paper examines the impact of witchcraft as an integral feature of traditional culture on african existence, notably community life, religion. The same dichotomy between sorcery and witchcraft exists sometimes more ambiguously in the beliefs of many peoples throughout the world. This might be for healing, seeing into the future, causing harm, or for religion. Understanding witchcraft in african conception today the term witchcraft is used more popularly and broadly to describe all sorts of evil employment of mystical powers, carry on certain activities in disembodied form generally in a secret fashion. June 2016 111 witchcraft in west african belief system medical and social dimensions arinze agbanusi department of philosophy nnamdi azikiwe university awka. Witchcraft is defined as the use of magic powers, especially evil ones. The concept of witchcraft has been defined by many scholars from the fields of anthropology. He published extensively on issues of citizenship, belonging and. Cognitive relativism, african philosophy, and the phenomenon of witchcraft.
The notion of witchcraft explains unfortunate events. Theologians interested in the ongoing discussion on african witchcraft in general, and wimbum tfu, need to approach the problematics of tfu from a philosophical perspective in order to understand wimbum misgivings about certain aspects of tfu. Consequently, the belief in this vice is a reality in africa. Doc witchcraft in african understanding anselm onuorah. Department of religious studies, classics and philosophy, university of zimbabwe. Relationship between magic and religion philosophy essay. Different scholars in the area of anthropology and philosophy. Witchcraft, the exercise or invocation of alleged supernatural powers to control people or events, practices typically involving sorcery or magic. Peter geschiere is professor of anthropology at the university of amsterdam, fellow of the royal netherlands academy of sciences and coeditor of the journal ethnography with sage. Accumulation, wealth and belief in asante history 1, to the close of the nineteenth century, africa 53 1, 23 43. The notion of witchcraft explains unfortunate events i witches, as the azande conceive them, clearly cannot exist. Issn 24889210online issn 2504 9038print a publication of the augustinian institute in collaboration with aatrepscholars 8 a philosophical inquiry on immortality in tiv thought by paul t. African witchcraft in theological perspective researchgate. Witchcraft, science, and the paranormal in contemporary.
A person practicing witchcraft is called a witch, although a man practicing witchcraft is often mistakenly called a wizard a word from northern europe, a warlock a word from 14th century england, a sorcerer, or shaman a term for people who practice magic in. African concept of being, with special reference to the. It suggests that despite the interest of members of the healing arts in witchcraft and their engagement in both practical and theoretical aspects of the subject, major historical studies of the relationship between medicine and witchcraft are thin. Since 1971 he undertook historicalanthropological fieldwork in various parts of cameroon and elsewhere in west africa. The ontological thesis that this paper focuses on is the claim of mbiti that. The cosmology of witchcraft in the african context digital.
Magic and witchcraft beliefs have increasingly been. Traditional rituals and witchcraft have a bearing on life and even politics in africa. The belief in witchcraft is the traditional way of explaining the ultimate cause of evil, misfortune or death. Belief in witchcraft is a subject which has been studied by sociologists and other specialists over a long period of time.
Most africans believe that witchcraft cause unusual phenomenon like. African philosophy of education as a response to human. Witchcraft witchcraft in africa and the world britannica. This description of the philosophy and practice of witchcraft begins with an account of the circumstances leading to accusations of witchcraft in five instances. Ethiopian philosopher zera yacob came up with philosophy that prefigured enlightenment thinkers hume, descartes, locke, kant, and the us founding fathers. Pdf witchcraft and african development researchgate. The voluntary and repeated confessions and lynching of witches prove that witchcraft exists in africa. It is described as the product of thinking and experience of african forefathers and mothers of. Africans who do not openly admit its existence, do so in their hearts.
A socioreligious study of witchcraft accusations in the northern province of south africa by selaelo thias kgatla submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of doctor of literature and philosophy in the subject religious studies at the university of south africa. Europeans must understand and appreciate this fact, but they must not close their eyes to its negative aspects. Atr african traditional religion introduction three religions dominates african continent. This article discusses the role played by medicine and the medical sciences in shaping and making sense of early modern witchcraft. This african problem that forms part of african philosophy and. African philosophy, the status and value of ethnophilosophy, and the position of placide. And, as a tribute to cornelia roux, specifically her seminal work on religious and human rights education in south africa, it is also argued that. Polycarp ikuenobe 1995 journal of social philosophy. African philosophy of education, can respond more positively to genocide, tribal conflict and wars, and the rape and abuse of women and children on the continent. African religions and philosophy is a systematic study of the attitudes of mind and belief that have evolved in the many societies of africa. Africana philosophy is the name for an emergent and still developing field of ideas and ideaspaces, intellectual endeavors, discourses, and discursive networks within and beyond academic philosophy that was recognized as such by national and international organizations of professional philosophers, including the american philosophical association, starting in the. Africana philosophy stanford encyclopedia of philosophy.
African traditional religions articles about traditional religions in zimbabwe in shona and ndebele religion, god, or the supreme being, is seen as the creator and sustainer of the universe in much the same manner as within christianity. Witchcraft the word witchcraft derives from the saxon wicca, sometimes translated as wise person but more accurately derived from an indoeuropean 1 root, weik, that produced words in various western languages related to magic, religion, and divination. The african philosophy reader second edition a text with readings. First there is the good or white witch corresponding to that of europe, known in africa as the nganga and on the other hand is the evil witch. 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. None the less, the concept of witchcraft provides them with a natural philosophy by which the relations between men and unfortunate events are explained and a ready and stereotyped means of reacting to such events.
This is the case whether it is illness, hardship, or misfortune. As stated before, the african worldview holds that anything wrong or bad both in society and in the world originates in witchcraft. This article is a theological contribution aimed at creating an understanding of the phenomenon of witchcraft in south africa. Mafico department of religious studies, classics and philosophy, university of zimbabwe belief in witchcraft is a subject which has been studied by sociologists and other specialists over a long period of time. The concept of person in an african culture and its implication for social order elvis imafidon department of philosophy, catholic major seminary of all saints, p. Africans and westerners experience religion and spirituality in different ways. A third and related scholarly strand was the growing interest in african philosophy, especially in the question of the ontology or theory of being implicit in african beliefs and practices. 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. Understanding witchcraft accusations in africa jref. The belief in occult forces is still deeply rooted in many african societies, regardless of. Thus, the phenomenon of witchcraft as a belief system is a legitimate formal philosophical problem with respect to. Philosophy and rationality in taboos with some reference to the.