Witchcraft Among Africans

Witchcraft: it is a word that conjures up many images. It can be an image of a green-skinned woman with a pointy hat cackling while flying on a broomstick; it could be an image of a group of peaceful people in the wilderness at night, reciting the Wiccan reed; or it can be an image of an accused 17th century European burned at the stake. The image the word conjures depends on each individual and their society’s perspective. Among Africans there is a completely unique view of witchcraft, one that both frightens yet captivates African society. While learning about African witchcraft, certain questions have to be answered. Is Witchcraft a positive or negative phenomenon? Where does witchcraft come from? How does one become a witch? What exactly do witches do? How are witches stopped? These are complicated questions with complicated answers.

So what is the African view of Witchcraft? Is witchcraft a positive or negative phenomenon to an African? This is a tricky subject. Abraham Akrong writes that the problem with the concept of witchcraft is that in popular usage, witchcraft could be either good or evil. In talking specifically about the people of Ghana, Akrong says that witchcraft is often associated with negativity but also states there is an equally strong view that it can be used for positive action. Akrong comes to the conclusion that among the peoples of Ghana, witchcraft is a force that is neutral in nature; it is neither bad nor good but depends completely on the individual manipulating this force to his or her will.

In the work of Henrietta L. Moore and Todd Sanders, these scholars seem to agree with what Akrong says; that witchcraft can not truly be defined as good or evil in the African context, but they also point out that when witchcraft is spoken of one is usually referring to something of a “nefarious sort”.

Evans-Pritchard’s work on Witchcraft among the Azande is considered to the most important and extensive work about African Witchcraft ever. In fact Moore and Sanders refer to it as an “anthropological benchmark”.

If one was to look at Evans-Pritchard’s work to answer whether witchcraft is a positive or negative force one would find it best stated in the way he defines witchcraft. He states that witchcraft is a “supposed psychic emanation from witchcraft-substance which is believed to cause injury to health and property”.