Witchcraft

I have just watched our local news and there was a very interesting story about a family that were gathered in front of a chief in their area trying to sort out an issue of witchcraft in their family. Apparently, one of the family members had 2 big snakes (in the hills) that were stopping the rain from falling in that area and that person also used male genitals to open graves! (I have no idea how that is possible). What interested me was how that family actually took time out to gather together to sort out this issue, and it was such an important gathering for them. The chief actually ruled that a cleansing ceremony be done as soon as possible.
Forgive me, I have no in depth knowledge about issues regarding witchcraft and other traditional beliefs, but truth be told, I think there are a number of Zimbabweans that are rooted in traditional beliefs, more than the recorded statistics. It is assumed that Zimbabwe’s religious syncretism is 50% Christian, 25% indigenous, 24% Muslim and other beliefs 1%. This I think is not true. I had the opportunity of spending time with one of Zim’s well known ex government officials who needed me to do a function for them (which I ended up not doing for various reasons which will need another blog to explain), but I remember her calling another well known official at 7am at their residence and they were reported to have left at 5am to go to their rituals. So when I asked her to explain what these rituals were, she simply laughed at my ignorance and asked me why I did not know that everyone visits traditional healers for various reasons. So clearly, there are a number of people that are very traditionally vested and there is clearly nothing wrong with that I guess as everyone has freedom to choose their beliefs, but because people are socialised to believe that Christianity is the “right” religion, they would rather not come out in the open.
Then I visited the salon last week to get my hair done and guess what the centre of the discussion was ... witchcraft. Now you know that the salon has exaggerated versions of stories, but I will share them anyway. There was a woman who had a sister who was married to this guy, but the guy’s father did not like her at all. So at the wedding he swore that she would never have children and the first time she got pregnant, she miscarried. The next time she fell pregnant, she also miscarried the day after the father in law had visited them. Then he decided to move in and the fights between the couple just erupted. It got so bad that they are now separated. The other story was about a woman who was renting this place in the suburbs but started miscarrying ever since she moved in and every time she would wake up she would see a lizard/s in her bed! Then her pastor in the States had a dream about the whole situation and called her the next morning and ordered her to move out immediately if she wanted to keep her life. Apparently, the landlord was using this girl for her selfish reasons and was feeding off her babies! Imagine that!!!
Now there were a whole lot of stories that came out and I ended up spending more time than I had intended to in the salon. Clearly there are a whole lot of people who believe in witchcraft and its present whether we want to accept it or not. But what are the repercussions of such an issue on a national level. I was thinking to myself, if I get bewitched today and I can somehow prove it (don’t ask me how) where do I go to get help? I know in the rural areas the chief can attend to such issues but is that the case here in central Harare? How on earth did the people who were accusing the family member of witchcraft prove that he/she had snakes in the hills and did they actually see them opening the graves with the genitals? Do people get arrested for bewitching another person? Should witchcraft be something that should be included in the constitution? Because surely it is affecting people somehow. Is witchcraft really there in the first place or is it just something that people are using to hide behind what the truth really is?
Food for thought!!!