‘Witches are not always to blame’

The Herald, 23 May, 1981

PEOPLE can fall ill if convinced they are bewitched, even though the “witch” might be totally harmless, the president of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association, Professor Gordon Chavunduka, said yesterday.

He told the National Affairs Association in Salisbury that witchcraft was not always a psycho act and that the Shona and Ndebele words covered a wide range of concepts. “Muroyi means many things: a witch; a sorcerer; a poisoner; a person who fails to carry out the necessary rituals for his dead relatives; a person who commits an anti-social act; or even just a troublemaker.” Another type of accusation involved charms which, through fear, could often cause injury оr psychosomatic illness, often best treated by a traditional healer. Poisoners were the main category dealt with by the formal courts, and then as murderers or attempted murderers rather than as sorcerers.

Most other cases were dealt with by traditional courts which took into account other concepts and looked into circumstances surrounding the accusation.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Witchcraft remains a contentious issue in Zimbabwe among people inclined towards African tradition of the view that it exists, while those inclined to Christian beliefs tend to dismiss its existence.

While there have been reports on some witches who have been caught in Harare, these have been proved to be a hoax stage-managed by people who wanted to make money out of the whole episode.

There is also conflict when it comes to the courts of law with traditional courts agreeing that witchcraft exists while formal courts deny it existence. According to the Witchcraft Suppression Act it is an offence to call someone a witch.