chapter 21: witchcraft, black magic and the law

ghana is a very superstitious land. religions familiar to westerners abound, with a side order of zealotry here and there. but i've been consistently fascinated with the indigenous beliefs that hold tremendous influence here, like black magic, wizardry and witchcraft.

to me, it always seems like their version of the boogeyman. as a child i was told "go to bed, or the boogeyman will get you!" of course, i eventually realized it was just a scare story, designed to get kids to obey.

but ghanaians never seem to reach that stage.

most people still believe there are some people who can communicate with spirits, perform curses, perform voodoo or juju, even enlist spirits to exact revenge on those who have wronged them.

"you will see what will happen" is the ominous threat that spiritual payback is coming.

there was a hilarious example of how traditional beliefs can collide with modern life during a legal seminar at luv fm yesterday. a few shows on the local language station, nhyira fm, specialize in stories about the supernatural. the company lawyer was warning presenters not to use names when a guest is accusing someone of witchcraft or wizardry. in some parts, such an accusation can lead to serious consequences; ostracism, banishment to witch camps, or even deadly mob action. there have been lawsuits. said the exasperated lawman: "how can i prove she is a witch in court? she will deny it!"

i was the only one laughing. this is a weighty legal issue in ghana, and british common law is not equipped to deal with it.

Fetish Priest Nana Kwaku Bonsam.

fetish priests are sort of a catch-all for traditional spiritual beliefs. i've been wanting to see one in action for a long time, and yesterday i finally got the chance. i returned to the station after a story assignment to find a fetish priest giving a demonstration. he was clothed in traditional white cloth, muttering incantations, supposedly turning leaves into money. as far as i could tell, he was simply pulling money out of a covered basket. everyone was watching in amazement. i have to admit, i was underwhelmed.

but then he did something a little more dramatic. he took a knife, and started slashing his arms, stomach and even his eyes. no blood spewed, and not a mark appeared. then he took a tree branch and easily cut through it with the knife.

hmmmm...

later i saw his assistant putting the leaves-into-money basket away. the top slipped a bit, and not surprisingly, i saw both leaves and money inside. much to the annoyance of my colleagues, who expected me to abandon my stubbornly rational disbelief, i now believe these individuals are not practising black magic, but are simply accomplished illusionists.

but i'm warning you all right now: don't cross me!

"you will see what will happen!"