Click here (GuardianUK) to read about a disturbingtrend involving witchcraft in an economically desperate country...
Why do you suppose that bleak poverty might find some sort of consolation in (accusations of) black magic?
10 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I think they accused the children of witchcraft because they didn't know How to cope and wanted to blame someone about it. They wanted and this was the easiest one. The child showed no signs or had no reason to kill her parents. It was a pure accident and her family wanted a scape goat. Tia kraus
Why do they blame magic? Because they have nothing else left to believe or blame. Black magic, in particular is the highest evil. When families are stuggling, that is how they explain it. Bad events must have a cause, in maboneli's case, it was witchcraft. Children are being labeled as witches because they consume hard earned resources. It is a logic that allowes families to alieviete their financial burden. Suddenly, now that the child or witch is gone, that family is able to make it for a while longer. It is an unfortunate "remedy" for an extremely unfortunate situation.
It is really unfortunate that in the 21st Century, there are several places in the world that still blame magic and witchcraft for social and economic woes. Just this morning I read an article about a woman in Papua New Guinea who was burned to death after being accused of the death of a neighbor's child through witchcraft. In this case, as well as from the cases of these children in the Congo, people search for some kind of explanation as to what is happening. Like what Deirdre said above, children are the easiest targets. Witchcraft cannot be proven with hard evidence, so why not just make easy accusations against those who are unable to defend themselves? It not only lessens the accuser's burden, but also gives an 'explanation'. -Erica H.
This is really sad that children could be considered witches. In such a remote area, such beliefs are still a reality for some people. Its unfortunate that a person can be accused of this just because of someone else's bad luck or misfortune. The imagination runs wild and so do peoples superstitions at some point.
Blaming the children for their problems is simply a way of explaining these events. Saying that a tragedy is just an accident is not thought of. There must be a reason for these events. Sadly, children are the targets
Witchcraft has been a common religion in Africa for a long time. I don't know much about it; I beleive the Bantu still practice some form of magic. Because magic is such a popular belief system in African, especially among the poor and uneducated, it is easy to understand how poverty might find comfort in accusations of black magic. Mabondell's aunt was naturally upset at her sisters death, she was probably even going throught the 7 stages of loss, combined with another mouth to feed and the need to take care of her own children. It was easy for her mind to turn towards dark magic, after she let her mind stray down that path the thought wouldn't go away. Her niece must be the responsible party, any doubts only reafirmed her belief because it is easier to accept guilt in others than yourself. She truly convinced herself that her niece was the cause of her sisters death based on the stress of the situation, poverty, and grief. Easy enough to do in that situation, but who knows.
In places with socio-economic strife, an uneducated populace searches for an explanation to their suffering. It's easier to have a living target for their blame, so they can "do" something about their problems. Unfortunately their reactions are causing further suffering of innocent people. But I think there's a part of humans that wants to fight something when they feel wronged or hurt. It's easier than just admitting that it's no one's fault and there's nothing that can really be done on an immediate level.
Very thoughtful comments, folks, on a rather tragic situation. Notice how magic/sorcery is the purported culprit here, rather than religion or some other more 'reputable' system of causality. Liminal and inversive, indeed....
I think that people are blaming others for being witches because of the lack of education. If a child is eating well and not growing or gaining weight, instead of being able to go to the doctor "for lack there of" and finding out that the child has a very fast matabalism or perhaps a late bloomer. So for the inability to know a diagnosis they create a plausible reason that they can comprehend.
10 comments:
I think they accused the children of witchcraft because they didn't know How to cope and wanted to blame someone about it. They wanted and this was the easiest one. The child showed no signs or had no reason to kill her parents. It was a pure accident and her family wanted a scape goat.
Tia kraus
Why do they blame magic? Because they have nothing else left to believe or blame. Black magic, in particular is the highest evil. When families are stuggling, that is how they explain it. Bad events must have a cause, in maboneli's case, it was witchcraft. Children are being labeled as witches because they consume hard earned resources. It is a logic that allowes families to alieviete their financial burden. Suddenly, now that the child or witch is gone, that family is able to make it for a while longer. It is an unfortunate "remedy" for an extremely unfortunate situation.
Deirdre Adams
It is really unfortunate that in the 21st Century, there are several places in the world that still blame magic and witchcraft for social and economic woes. Just this morning I read an article about a woman in Papua New Guinea who was burned to death after being accused of the death of a neighbor's child through witchcraft. In this case, as well as from the cases of these children in the Congo, people search for some kind of explanation as to what is happening. Like what Deirdre said above, children are the easiest targets. Witchcraft cannot be proven with hard evidence, so why not just make easy accusations against those who are unable to defend themselves? It not only lessens the accuser's burden, but also gives an 'explanation'.
-Erica H.
This is really sad that children could be considered witches. In such a remote area, such beliefs are still a reality for some people. Its unfortunate that a person can be accused of this just because of someone else's bad luck or misfortune. The imagination runs wild and so do peoples superstitions at some point.
-Taylor E.
Blaming the children for their problems is simply a way of explaining these events. Saying that a tragedy is just an accident is not thought of. There must be a reason for these events. Sadly, children are the targets
Tazheem Rubio
Witchcraft has been a common religion in Africa for a long time. I don't know much about it; I beleive the Bantu still practice some form of magic. Because magic is such a popular belief system in African, especially among the poor and uneducated, it is easy to understand how poverty might find comfort in accusations of black magic. Mabondell's aunt was naturally upset at her sisters death, she was probably even going throught the 7 stages of loss, combined with another mouth to feed and the need to take care of her own children. It was easy for her mind to turn towards dark magic, after she let her mind stray down that path the thought wouldn't go away. Her niece must be the responsible party, any doubts only reafirmed her belief because it is easier to accept guilt in others than yourself. She truly convinced herself that her niece was the cause of her sisters death based on the stress of the situation, poverty, and grief. Easy enough to do in that situation, but who knows.
They want somthing to blame for their suffering. No matter what religions they have now, they still have many of the old beliefs of the tribes.
-Casey Somerville
In places with socio-economic strife, an uneducated populace searches for an explanation to their suffering. It's easier to have a living target for their blame, so they can "do" something about their problems. Unfortunately their reactions are causing further suffering of innocent people. But I think there's a part of humans that wants to fight something when they feel wronged or hurt. It's easier than just admitting that it's no one's fault and there's nothing that can really be done on an immediate level.
Margaret Ransdell-Green
Very thoughtful comments, folks, on a rather tragic situation. Notice how magic/sorcery is the purported culprit here, rather than religion or some other more 'reputable' system of causality. Liminal and inversive, indeed....
pdk
I think that people are blaming others for being witches because of the lack of education. If a child is eating well and not growing or gaining weight, instead of being able to go to the doctor "for lack there of" and finding out that the child has a very fast matabalism or perhaps a late bloomer. So for the inability to know a diagnosis they create a plausible reason that they can comprehend.
Emily Peterson-Wood
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