Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande (Abridged Edition)

135 Pages·1976·10.14 MB·English

by  E. E. Evans-Pritchard

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Witchcraft, Oracles,
and Magic among
the Azande
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E. E. EVANS-PRITCHARD
ABRIDGED WITH AN INTRODUCTION
Eva Gillies
BY
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CLARENDON PRESS· OXFORD
1976
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Oxford University Press, Ely House, London W. I
CLASGOW NEWYORK TORONTO MELBOURNE WELLINGTON
CAPETOWN lilADAN NAIROBI DARESSALAAM LUSAKA ADDISABABA
DELHI BOMBAY CALCUTT'A MADRAS KARACHI lJI.HORE DACCA
KUALALUMPUR SINGAPORE HONGKONG TOKYO
Contents
ISBN 0 19 874029 8
© Oxford University Press1976
INTRODUCTION vii
Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,
REFERENCES .xxxi
storedinaretrievalsys!em, ortransmitted, inanyform orbyany means,
electrontc, mechanical,photocopying, recordingorotherwise, without I. WITCHCRAFT IS AN ORGANIC AND
thepriorpermissionofOxford University Press HEREDITARY PHENOMENON
II. THE NOTION OF WITCHCRAFT EXPLAINS
UNFORTUNATE EVENTS 18 ~
/~
\'---.'~ III. SUFFERERS FROM MISFORTUNE SEEK FOR
WITCHES AMONG THEIR ENEMIES 33
-"" ...
IV. ARE WITCHES CONSCIOUS AGENTS?
56
~~I
Q
V. WITCH-DOCTORS
65
VI. TRAINING OF ANOVICE IN THE ART OF
- A WITCH-DOCTOR go
\'
VII. THE PLACE OF WITCH-DOCTORS IN
ZANDE SOCIE.TY
III
VIII. THE POISON ORACLE IN DAILY LIFE 120
IX. PROBLEMS ARISING FROM CONSULTATION
. OF THE POISON ORACLE 146
X. OTHER ZANDE ORACLES [64
XL MAGIC AND MEDJc.INES 176
XII. AN ASSOCIATION FOR THE
PRACTICE OF MAGIC
2°5
~F, ~ XIII. WITCHCRAFT, ORACLES, AND MAGIC,
~ --.I,~;
IN THE SITUATION OF DEATH 221
APPENDIX I. A LIST OF TERMS EMPLOYED IN
-"-)-' DESCRIBING ZANDE CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS 226
Printedin GreatBritainby APPENDIX II. WITCHCRAFT AND DREAMS 23°
Butler& TannerLtd, FromeandLondon
I
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Contents
VI
APPENDIX III. OTHER EVIL AGENTS 236
ASSOCIATED WITH WITCHCRAFT
Introduction
APPENDIX IV. SOME REMINISCENCES AND
24°
REFLECTIONS ON FIELDWORK
255
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING
259
INDEX
IN presenting an abridged version of Witchcraft, Oracles, and
MagicamongtheAzande, nearlyfortyyearsafterits first publica
tion, one cannot help feeling a trifle uncomfortable about the
use ofthe ethnographic present. After all, the fieldwork this
book refers to was done in the late 1920S: what is described
hereisa worldlongvanished. It will, I hope, presently appear
thatitisaworldstillfreshandrelevanttothemodernanthropo
logist, as well as to the philosopher and the historian ofideas.
Butfor the Azande themselves, living as they do in turbulent
Central Africa, in the watershed zone between the Nile and
the Congo, time can hardly be said to have stood still mean
while (nor, as we shall see, was it doingso at the period when
Evans-Pritchard lived among them).
The traditional Zande homeland today lies across the
frontiers ofthree modern African states: the Republic of the
Sudan, Zaire, and the Republique Centrafricaine. In Evans
Pritchard'sday, all these territories were under colonial domi
nance: the Sudan was Anglo-Egyptian, Zalre was the Belgian
Congo, and the Republique Centrafricaine formed part ofthe
vast expanse of French Equatorial Africa. Evans-Pritchard,
engaged in ethnographic survey work for the Government of
theAnglo-Egyptian Sudan, perforceconcentrated his research
ontheSudaneseAzande,thoughhedid, onhisfirst twoexpedi
tions, also visit the Belgian Congo. Except where otherwise
indicated, references to colonial Government, European influ
ence, etc., therefore allude to the Government ofthe Anglo
EgyptianSudananditsimpactupontraditionalZandecustom.
Evans-Pritchard found the Sudanese Azande living in
sparselywoodedsavannah country-avastplaincrossed byin
numerable small tree-fringed streams. The.structure of the
countrysidewas,indeed,revealedonlyduring thedryseason
April toNovember-whenthebushvegetation was fired; dur
ingtherainsthewholeland wascovered with high, densegrass,
sothatinwalkingitwasdifficulttoleavethe man-made paths.
CHAPTER I
Witchcraft is an Organic and
Hereditary Phenomenon
AZANDE believe that some people are witches and can injure
theminvirtueofaninherentquality. A witch performsno rite,
utters nospell, and possessesno medicines. Anactofwitchcraft
is a psychic act. They believe also that sorcerers may do them
ill by performing magic rites with bad medicines. Azande dis
tinguish clearly between witches and sorcerers. Against both ',I
1
they employ diviners, oracles, and medicines. The relations I
::~
between these beliefs and rites are th.e subject ofthis book.
.~~
Idescribewitchcraftfirst becauseitisanindispensable back ~:
ground to theother beliefs. When Azande consult oracles they
consult them mainly about witches. When they employ
diviners it is for the same purpose. Their leechcraft and closed
associations are directed against the same foe.
I had no difficulty in discovering what Azande think about
witchcraft, nor in observing what they do to combat it. These
ideasand actionsareonthesurface oftheir life and are access
'I ible to anyone who lives for a few weeks in their homesteads.
. 'I
.,..~ Every Zande is an authority on witchcraft. There is no need
I
toconsultspecialists.Thereisnotevenneed to questionAzande
about it, for information flows freely from recurrent situations
intheirsocial life, and onehasonly towatchand listen. Mangu,
witchcraft, was one of the first words I heard in Zandeland,
and I heard it uttered day by day throughout the months.
I/~1' Azande believe that witchcraft is a substance in the bodies
~
i ofwitches, a belief which is found among many peoples in :1
i~,
II Centraland West Africa. Zandeland is the north-eastern limit i
ofitsdistribution. Itisdifficult to say with what organ Azande ~,i
associate witchcraft. I have never seen human witchcraft-sub !'
il
! stance,butithas beendescribed to measan oval blackishswel
i~ lingor bagin whichvarioussmallobjectsaresometimesfound.
•!~i
!i
j~
.'
..-
2 f11itchcra~t f11itchcraft 3
When Azande describe its shape they often point to the elbow clanwhileitsfellow soul becomes a ghost and leads a shadowy
oftheirbentarm,andwhentheydescribeitslocationtheypoint existence at the heads ofstreams. Many people say that the
to just beneath the xiphoid cartilage which is said to 'cover body-soul ofa man becomes the totem animal of his father's
witchcraft-substance'. They say: clanwhilethebody-soulofa woman becomesthe totemanimal
ofher mother's clan.
It is attached to the edge ofthe liver. When people cut open the At first sight it seems strange to find a mode ofmatrilineal
belly they have only to pierce it and witchcraft-substance bursts
transmission in a society which is characterized by its strong
through with a pop.
patrilinealbias, but witchcraft like the body-soul is part ofthe
I have heard people say that it is of a reddish colour and bodyand might beexpected to accompanyinheritanceofmale
contains seeds ofpumpkins and sesame and other food-plants or female characters from father or mother.
whichhave beendevoured by a witch in the cultivations ofhis To our minds it appears evident that ifa man is proven a
neighbours. Azande know the position ofwitchcraft-substance witch thewholeofhisclanareipsofacto witches, sincethe Zande
because in the past it was sometimes extracted by autopsy. I clan is a group ofpersons related biologically to one another
believe it to be the small intestine in certain digestive periods. through the male line. Azande see the sense ofthis argument
Thisorganissuggested byZande descriptions ofautopsies and but they do not accept its conclusions, and it would involve
wasthatshown to meas containingwitchcraft-substancein the the whole notion of witchcraft in contradiction were they to
belly ofone ofmy goats. do so. In practice they regard only close paternal kinsmen of
A witchshowsno certainexternalsymptomsofhis condition aknownwitch as witches. It is only in theory that they extend
though people say: 'One knows a witch by his red eyes.' the imputation to all a witch's clansmen. Ifin the eyes ofthe
world payment for homicide by witchcraft stamps the kin of
II aguiltyman aswitches, a post-mortem in which nowitchcraft
Witchcraft is not only a physical trait but is also inherited. It substanceisdiscoveredina manclearshis paternal kin ofsuspi
is transmitted by unilinear descent from parent to child. The cion. Here again we might reason that ifa man be found by
sons ofa male witch are all witches but his daughters are not, post-mortem immune from witchcraft-substance all his clan
while the daughters ofa female witch are all witches but her must also be immune, but Azande do not act as though they
sons are not. Biological transmission of witchcraft from pne were ofthis opinion.
parent to all children of the same sex is complementary to ___ Further elaborations of belieffree Azande from having to
Zande opinions about procreation and to their eschatological admitwhatappeartous to bethelogical consequencesofbelief
beliefs. Conceptionis thought to bedue to a unisonofpsychical in biological transmission ofwitchcraft. Ifa man is proven a
properties in man and woman. When the soul of the man is witch beyond all doubt his kin, to establish their innocence,
stronger a boy will be born; when the soul of the woman is may use the very biological principle which would seem to in
strongeragirlwill be born. Thus a child partakesofthe psychi volve them in disrepute. They admit that the man is a witch
calqualitiesofboth parents, though a girlis thought to partake but deny that he is a member oftheir clan. They say he was
moreofthesoulofhermotheranda boyofthesoulofhisfather. a bastard,for amongAzandea man is always ofthe clan ofhis
Neverthelessin certainrespects a child takes after one or other genitorand notofhispater, and I was told that they may compel
parentaccordingto itssex, namely, intheinheritanceofsexual his motherifshe is still alive to say who was her lover, beating
characters, ofa body-soul, and ofwitchcraft-substance. There her and asking her, 'What do you mean by going to the bush
is a vague belief, hardly precise enough to be described as a to get witchcraft in adultery?' More often they simply make
doctrine, thatman possesses twosouls, a body-souland a spirit the declaration that the witch must have been a bastard since
soul. At death the body-soul becomes a totem animal of the they have no witchcraft in their bodies and that he could not
4 ~itchcrajft ~itchcraft 5
therefore be one oftheir kinsmen, and they may support this Lesser misfortunes are soon forgotten and those who caused
contention by quoting cases where members oftheir kin have them are looked upon by the sufferer and his kin as having
been shown by autopsy to have been free from witchcraft. It bewitched someone on this occasion rather than as confirmed
is unlikely that other people will accept this plea, but they are witches, for only persons who are constantly exposed by the
not asked either to accept it or reject it. oracles as responsible for sickness or loss are regarded as con
Also Zande doctrine includes the notion that even ifa man firmed witches, and in the old days it was only when a witch
is the son ofa witch and has witchcraft-substance in his body had killed someone that he became a marked man in the com
he may not use it. It may remain inoperative, 'cool' as the munity.
Azandesay, throughout his lifetime, and a man can hardly be
classed as a witch ifhis witchcraft never functions. In point of III
fact, therefore,Azandegenerallyregardwitchcraftasanindivi Deathisduetowitchcraftand must beavenged. Allotherprac
dualtraitandit is treatedassuchinspiteofits association with ticesconnected with witchcraft are epitomized in the action of
kinship. At the same time certain clans had a reputation for vengeance. In our present context it will be sufficient to point
witchcraft in the reign of King Gbudwe. No one thinks any out that in pre-European days vengeance was either executed
worse ofa man ifhe is a member ofone ofthese clans. directly, sometimesbytheslaughterofa witch, and sometimes
',~
Azande do not perceive the contradiction as we perceive it by acceptance ofcompensation, or by means oflethal magic.
because they have no theoretical interest in the subject, and Witches were very seldom slain, for it was only when a man
thosesituationsin which theyexpresstheirbeliefsin witchcraft committed a second or third murder, or murdered an impor
do not force the problem upon them. A man never asks the tant person, that a prince permitted his execution. Under
oracles, which alone are capable ofdisclosing the location of British rule the magical method alone is employed.
witchcraft-substance in the living, whether a certain man is a Vengeance seems to have been less a result of anger and
witch. He asks whether at the moment this man is bewitching hatred than the fulfilment of a pious duty and a source of
him. One attempts to discover whether a man is bewitching profit. I have never heard that today the kin ofa dead man,
someoneinparticularcircumstancesandnotwhetherheis born once they have exacted vengeance, show any rancour towards
a witch. Ifthe oracles say that a certain man is injuring you .thefamily ofthe man whom their magic has struck down, nor
at the moment you then know that he is a witch, whereas if, that in the past there was any prolonged hostility between the
they say that at the moment he is not injuring you you do not kinofthedeadand thekinofthewitchwhohadpaidcompensa
know whether he is a witch or not and have no interest to in ,tionforhis murder. Todayifa mankillsa person by witchcraft
quire into the matter. Ifhe is a witch it is of no significance :thecrimeis hissoleresponsibilityand hiskin arenotassociated
to you so long as you are not his victim. A Zande is interested with his guilt. In the past they assisted him to pay compensa
in witchcraftonlyasanagentondefiniteoccasionsand in rela tion, not in virtue ofcollective responsibility, but in virtue of
tion to his own interests, and not as a permanent condition of 'social obligations to a kinsman. His relatives-in-law and his
individuals. When he is sick he does not normally say: 'Now blood-brothersalso contributed towards the payment. As soon
let us consider who are well-known witches ofthe neighbour "as a witch is today slain by magic, or in the past had been
hood and place their names before the poison oracle.' He does !spearedto deathorhad paid compensation, theaffairis closed.
not consider the question in this light but asks himself who Moreover, it is an issue between the kin of the dead and the
amonghis neighbours havegrudgesagainst himand thenseeks) :~n ofthe witch and other people are not concerned with it.
to know from the poison oracle whether one ofthem is on this lThey have the same social links with both parties.
particular occasion bewitching him. Azande are interested '. It is extremely difficult today to obtain information about
solely in the dynamics ofwitchcraft in particular situations. 'ctims ofvengeance-magic. Azande themselves do not know
~"
6 Witchcraft Witchcraft 7
aboutthemunlesstheyaremembersofamurderedman'sclosest incausingdeath.The partofthevengeance-magicexplains the
kin. One notices that his kinsmen are no longer observing termination ofmourning ofone family and the part ofwitch
taboosofmourningandoneknows bythis that their magic has craftexplainstheinitiationofvengeance byanotherfamily, i.e.
performed its task, but it is useless to inquire from them who theyseektoexplaina contradictionin their beliefsin the mysti
was its victim because they will not tellyou. It is their private calidiomofthe beliefs themselves. But I haveonly beenoffered
affair and is a secret between them and their prince who must thisexplaInationasa generaland theoretical possibilityin reply
be informed ofthe action of their magic since it is necessary to my objections. Since the names ofvictims ofvengeance are
for his poison oracle to confirm their poison oracle before they keptsecretthe contradiction is not apparent, for it would only
are permitted to end their mourning. Besides, it is a verdict of be evident ifall deaths were taken into consideration and not
thepoisonoracleandonemustnotdiscloseits revelationsabout anyone particular death. So long therefore as they are able
such matters. to conform to customand maintain family honour Azande are
Ifotherpeoplewereacquainted with the namesofthosewho not interested in the broader aspects ofvengeance in general.
have fallen victims to avenging magic the whole procedure of They saw the objection when I raised it but they were not in
vengeance would be exposed as futile. Ifit were known that commoded by it.
the death ofa man X had been avenged upon a witch Y then Princes must be aware of the contradiction because they
thewholeprocedurewould bereduced to anabsurditybecause know the outcome ofevery death in their provinces. When I
the death ofY i~also avenged by his kinsmen upon a witch askedPrinceGangurahowheaccepted thedeathofa man both
Z. Some Azande'have indeed explained to me their doubts as the action ofvengeance-magic and ofwitchcraft he smiled
about the honesty ofthe princes who control the oracles, and andadmitted thatall was notwellwith the present-daysystem.
a few have seen that the present-day system is fallacious. At Someprincessaid that they did notallowa man to be avenged
any rate, its fallaciousness is veiled so long as everybody con ifthey knew he had died from vengeance-magic, but I think·
cerned keeps silence about the victims of their vengeance they were lying. One cannot know for certain, for even if a
magic. In the past things were different, for then a person princewere to tell the kin ofadead man thathe had died from
accused by the prince's oracles of having killed another by vengeance-magicand mightnotbeavenged hewould tell them
witchcraft either paid immediate compensation or was killed. in secret and they would keep his words a secret. They would
In eithercasethe matter was closed because the man who had pretend to their neighbours that they were avenging their
paid compensation had no means ofproving that he was not kinsmen and after some months would hang up the barkcloth
a witch, and ifhe were killed at the prince's orders his death ofmourning as a sign that vengeance was accomplished, for
could not be avenged. Nor was an autopsy permitted on his they would not wish people to know that their kinsman was
corpse to discover whether it contained witchcraft-substance. a witch.
When I have challenged Azande to defend their system of ConsequentlyifthekinsmenofAavenge his death by magic
vengeance theyhavegenerallysaid thata princewhose oracles on B and then learn that B's kinsmen have ceased mourning
declare thatY hasdiedfrom the magicofX's kinsmen will not insignofhavingaccomplishedvengeancealso, theybelievethat
place the name ofZ before his oracles to discover whether he this second vengeance is a pretence. Contradiction is thereby
died from the magic of V's kinsmen. When V's kinsmen ask avoided.
their prince to place Z's name before his poison oracle he will
decline to do so and will tell them that he knows Y to have IV
diedinexpiationofa crimeand that hisdeathcannottherefore Beingpartofthe body, witchcraft-substancegrows as the body
beavenged.AfewAzandeexplained thepresentsystembysay grows. The older a witch the more potent his witchcraft and
ing that perhaps vengeance-magic and witchcraft participate the more unscrupulous its use. This is one ofthe reasons why
~
8 Witchcraft
Witchcraft 9
Azande often express apprehension ofold persons. The witch behalf, and her husband might surmise adultery. He would
craft-substance ofa child is so small that it can do little injury
II wonderwhatcontacthiswifehadhadwithheraccuser thathad
to others. Therefore a child is never accused of murder, and led to disagreement between them. Nevertheless, a man fre
i"
evengrownboysandgirlsarenotsuspectedofseriouswitchcraft quently consults the oracles about his own wives, because he
thoughtheymaycauseminormisfortunestopersonsoftheirown issure to displease themfrom time to time, and often they hate
age. We shall see later how witchcraft operates when thereis him. I have never heard of cases in which a man has been
ill-feeling between witch and victim, and ill-feeling is unlikely accusedofbewitchinghis wife. Azandesay that no man would
I.
to arise frequently between children and adults. Only adults do such a thing as no one wishes to kill his wife or cause her
I, can consultthe poison oracleand they do not normally put the sickness since he would himselfbe the chiefloser. Kuagbiaru
names of children before it when asking it about witchcraft. told me that he had never known a man to pay compensation
f
Children cannot express their enmities and minor misfortunes for thedeathofhis wife. Anotherreason whyonedoes not hear
in terms oforacular revelations about witchcraft because they offowls' wings being presented to husbands in accusation of
cannot consult the poison oracle.
witchcraftl on account ofthe illnesses oftheir wives is that a
Nevertheless,rarecaseshavebeenknowninwhich, afterask woman cannot herself consult the poison oracle and usually
ingtheoracleinvainaboutallsuspectedadults, a child'sname entrusts this task to her husband. She may ask her brother to
has been put before it and he has been declared a witch. But consult the oracle on her behalf, but he is not likely to place
I was told that ifthis happens an old man will point out that his brother-in-Iaw'sname beforeit becausea husband does not
there must be an error. He will say: 'A witch has taken the
desire the death ofhis wife.
child and placed him in front ofhimselfas a screen to protect I have never known a case in which a man has been
I himself.'
bewitched by a kinswoman or in which a woman has been
~
Children soon know about witchcraft, and I have found in bewitched by a kinsman. Moreover, I have heard ofonly one
:11 talking to little boys and girls, even as youngas six years of case in which a man was bewitched by a kinsman. A kinsman
age, thattheyapprehendwhatismeantwhen theireldersspeak
1;" may do a man wrong in other ways but he would not'bewitch
t ofit. I was told that in a quarrel one child may bring up the him. It is evident that a sick man would not care to ask the
bad reputation ofthe father of another. However, people do
oracles about his brothers and paternal cousins, because ifthe
not comprehend the nature ofwitchcraft till they are used to,
poison oracle declared them to have bewitched him, by the
operating oracles, to acting in situations of misfortune in ac
samedeclaration hewould himselfbe a witch, since witchcraft
cordancewithoracularrevelations, and to making magic. The
is inherited in the male line.
concept grows with the social experience of each individual. Membersoftheprincelyclass,theAvongara, are notaccused
Menandwomenareequallywitches. Menmaybebewitched ofwitchcraft, for ifa man were to say that the oracles had de
byothermenorbywomen, butwomenaregenerally bewitched
clared the son ofa prince to have bewitched him he would be
\t only bymembers oftheir own sex. A sick man usually asks the asserting that thekingand princeswere also witches. However
oraclesabouthismaleneighbours,whileifheisconsultingthem
much a prince may detest members of his lineage he never
about a sick wife or kinswoman he normally asks about other allowsthemtobebroughtintodisreputebya commoner.Hence,
Ii,
- women.Thisisbecauseill-feelingismorelikelyto arise between
although Azande will tell one privately that they believe some
manand man and between woman and woman than between
membersofthenobleclass may bewitches, theyseldom consult
man and woman. A ma~ comes in contact only with his wives
lItiscustomary,whenwitchcraftissuspected,toaskthelocalprince,ormoreoften
and kinswomen and has therefore little opportunity to incur hisdeputy, tosend a fowl's wing to the presumed witch, courteouslyrequesting him
the hatred ofother women. It would, in fact, be suspicious if toblowwateruponitfromhismouthintokenofgoodwill towards theinjured person;
he consulted the oracles about another man's wife on his own cf.pp.40-42.Sendingafowl'swingtosomeoneis thereforetantamount to anaccusa
tion ofwitchcraft.
10 Witchcraft Witchcraft I I
the oracles about them, so that they are not accused ofwitch think ofa witch sendinghis soul on errands by night when his
craft. In the past they never consulted the oracles about them. victimisasleep. Itsails through the air emitting a bright light.
There is an established fiction that Avongara are not witches, Duringthedaytime this lightcan only be seen by witches, and
I
and it is maintained by the overwhelming power and prestige bywitch-doctorswhentheyareprimedwithmedicines, butany
,I
ofthe ruling princes. onemayhavetheraremisfortuneto observeitat night. Azande
~~(I~ Governors of provinces, deputies of districts, men of the saythatthelightofwitchcraftislikethegleamoffire-fly beetles,
f! court, leaders ofmilitary companies, and other commoners of onlyitis eversomuch largerand brighter than they. Theyalso
~I
position and wealth are not likely to be accused ofwitchcraft saythatamanmayseewitchcraftasitgoestorestonbranchesfor
Ii
I~' unless by a prince himselfon account of his own hunting or 'Witchcraft is like fire, it lights a light'. Ifa man sees the light
onaccountofthedeathofsome equallyinfluential commoner. ofwitchcrafthepicksupapieceofcharcoaland throws itunder
:.~­ Generallylesserpeopledo notdare to consulttheoraclesabout his bed so that he may not suffer misfortune from the sight.
~~;
influentialpersons because theirliveswould bea misery ifthey I haveonlyonceseenwitchcraftonitspath. Ihadbeensitting
,~
~i insulted the most important men in their neighbourhood. So latein my hut writing notes. About midnight, before retiring,
~~ we may say that the incidence ofwitchcraft in a Zande com I took a spear and went for my usual nocturnal stroll. I was
'I'il,
,ff.''.i! munity falls equally upon both sexes in the commoner class walkingin the garden at the back ofmy hut, amongst banana
'! whilenoblesareentirely, and powerfulcommonerslargely,im trees, when I noticed a bright light passing at the back ofmy
U
mune from accusations. All children are normally free from servants' huts towards the homestead ofa man called Tupoi.
t,':
suspicion. As this seemed worth investigation I followed its passage until
The relations ofruling princes to witchcraft are peculiar. agrassscreenobscured theview. I ranquickly through my hut
Though immune from accusations they believe in witches as to the other side in order to see where the light was going to,
firmly as other people, and they constantly consult the poison but did not regain sight ofit. I knew that only one man, a
oracletofind outwho is bewitchingthem. Theyespeciallycon member ofmy household, had a lamp that might have given
sult itabout theirwives. Aprince'soracleisalso the final auth offso bright a light, but next morning he told me that he had
oritywhich decideson all witchcraft cases involvinghomicide, neither beenoutlateat night nor had he used his lamp. There
III1
and in the past it was also used to protect his subjects from ,did not lack ready informants to tell me that what I had seen
witchcraft during warfare. When a lesser noble dies his death .was witchcraft. Shortly afterwards, on the same morning, an
isattributedtoawitchandisavengedinthesamewayas deaths .oldrelativeofTupoiandaninmateofhishomestead died. This
ofcommoners, but the death ofa king or ruling prince is not .event fully explained the light I had seen. I never discovered
so avenged and is generally attributed to sorcery or other evil \itsrealorigin,whichwaspossiblya handfulofgrasslit bysome
agents ofa mystical nature. .: oneonhis way to defecate, butthecoincidenceofthe direction
·.along which the light moved and the subsequent death
v .. accorded well with Zande ideas.
Whilewitchcraftitselfispartofthe human organism its action This light is not the witch in person stalking his prey but is
is psychic. What Azande call mbisimo mangu, the soul ofwitch an emanation from his body. On this point Zande opinion is
craft, is a concept that bridges over the distance between the quite decided. The witch is on his bed, but he has dispatched "I
person ofthe witch and the person ofhis victim. Some such the soul ofhis witchcraft to remove the psychical part ofhis
explanation is necessary to account for the fact that a witch victim's organs, his mbisimo pasio, the soul ofhis flesh, which
wasin his hut at the time when he is supposed to haveinjured heandhisfellowwitches willdevour. Thewholeactofvampir
someone. The soul ofwitchcraft may leave its corporeal home ism is an incorporeal one: the soul ofwitchcraft removes the
at any time during the day or night, but Azande generally soul of the organ. I have not been able to obtain a precise
\.Ii
12 Witchcraft Witchcraft 13
explanation ofwhat is meant by the soul ofwitchcraft and the Egyptian Sudanwerecompelled to livein roadside settlements
soul ofan organ. Azande know that people are killed in this they did so with profound misgivings, and many fled to the
way, but only a witch himselfcould give an exact account of Belgian Congo rather than face close contact with their
what happens in the process. neighbours.Azandesaythattheirdislikeoflivingincloseprox
Azande use the same word in describing the psychical parts imity to others is partly due to a desire to place a stretch of
ofwitchcraft-substance and other organs as they use for what country between their wives and possible lovers and partly to
we call the soul ofa man. Anything the action ofwhich is not theirbeliefthata witchcaninjure the moreseverely the nearer
t'
subjectto thesenses maylikewise beexplained bythe existence he is to his victim.
l:1
ofa soul. Medicines act by means oftheir soul, an explanation The Zande verb 'to bewitch' is no, and in its only other uses !I.I
111
which coversthe void between a magical rite and the achieve we translate this word 'to shoot'. It is used for shooting with
II
ment ofits purpose. The poison oracle also has a soul, which bow and arrow or with a gun. By ajerk ofa leg witch-doctors
accounts for its power to see what a man cannot see. will shoot (no) pieces ofbone into one another at a distance.
The action ofwitchcraft is therefore not subject to the ordi We may notice the analogy between these different shootings
nary conditions which limit most objects of daily use, but its andtheircommonfactor, theactofcausinginjuryata distance.
activity is thought to be limited to some extent by conditions
ofspace. Witchcraft does not strike a man at a great distance, VI
butonlyinjures people in the vicinity. Ifa man leaves the dis Inspeakingofwitches and witchcraft it is necessary to explain
trict in which he is livIng when attacked by witchcraft it will that Azande normally think ofwitchcraft quite impersonally
not follow him far. Witchcraft needs, moreover, conscious and apart from any particular witch or witches. When a man
direction. The witch cannot send out his witchcraft and leave says he cannot live in a certain place because ofwitchcraft he
it to find its victim for itself, but he must define its objective means thathe has beenwarnedagainst thisspotbytheoracles;
and determine its route. Hence a sick man can often elude its The oracles have told him that if he lives there he will be II
further ravages by withdrawing to the shelter ofa grass hut in attacked by witches, and he thinks ofthis danger as a general 1:
the bush unknown to all but his wife and children. The witch danger from witchcraft. Hence he speaks always of mangu, 11
il
will dispatch his witchcraft after his victim and it will search witchcraft. This force does not exist outside individuals; it is, ~
his homestead in vain and return to its owner. infact, anorganicpartofthem,butwhenparticularindividuals~ ~I
I
Likewise,amanwillleavea homestead beforedawn inorder are not specified and no effort is made to identify them, then
to escape witchcraft, because then witches are asleep and will itmustbethoughtofasa generalized force. Witchcraft means,
not observe his departure. When they become aware that he therefore, some or any witches. When a Zande says about a !i
has left he will already be out ofrange oftheir witchcraft. If, mishap, 'It is witchcraft', he means that it is due to a witch
ontheotherhand, theyseehimstartingtheymay bewitch him buthedoes notknow to whichparticularone. Inthesameway
andsome misfortune will befall him on hisjourney or after his hewillsayina magicspell, 'Letwitchcraft die', meaning who
return home. It is because witchcraft is believed to act only at ever may attempt to bewitch him. The concept ofwitchcraft
a short range that ifa wife falls sick on a visit to her parents' is not that ofan impersonal force that may become attached
home they search for the responsible witch there and not at topersons butofa personal force that is generalized in speech,
her husband's home, and ifshe dies in her parents' home her forifAzandedo notparticularizetheyare bound to generalize.
husbandmayholdthemresponsiblebecausetheyhave notpro
tected her by consulting the oracles about her welfare. VII
Thefartherremoveda man'shomesteadfrom his neighbours Awitch does not immediately destroy his victim. On the con
the safer he is from witchcraft. When Azande of the Anglo- trary, ifa man becomes suddenly and acutely ill he may be