WITCHCRAFT PRACTICES TO SOME PEOPLE LIVING IN RURAL AREAS

MOST OF TANZANIANS WHO GROW UP IN THE TRADITION ENVIRONMENT WILL, NO DOUBT, KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MYSTICAL POWER WHICH OFTEN IS EXPERIENCED OR MANIFESTS ITSELF, IN FORM OF MAGIC DIVINATION, WITCHCRAFT AND MYSTERIOUS PHENOMENA THAT SEEM TO DEFY EVEN IMMEDIATE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION. PEOPLE USED WITCHCRAFT AS THEIR WEATHER STATION, THAT WITCHES USED TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN FUTURE, FORTUNE TELLING, DISCOVERING ENEMIES AND WHETHER THERE WILL BE GRACE OR HUNGER. AND FOR THOSE EVIL WITCHES THEIR PUNISHMENT WAS TO BE EXILED FROM THEIR VILLAGES TO VERY REMOTE AREAS TO LIVE ALONE. WITCHCRAFT ALSO BELIEVED TO MAKE RAIN. THE RAINMAKER BELIEVED TO LIVE IN CAVES AND DRINK MILK MIXED WITH WATER. PEOPLE GO TO THEM IN PROCESSION, TAKING GIFTS.PART OF THE RAINMAKING RITE INVOLVES BRINGING A SKIN FULL OF WATER TO THE RAINMAKER, WHICH HE DRINKS PUBLICLY. SACRIFIES, OFFERING AND PRAYERS TO GODS ARE MADE. THE RAINMAKER PLAY ROLE OF INTERMEDIARIES OF THE LIVING DEAD AND SPIRITUAL AGENT MOST TANZANIA LIVING IN A VILLAGE CAN TELL AN ALMOST ENDLESS STORIES. TO AN OUTSIDER THEY SOUND MORE LIKE FICTION THAN REALITY.
WHAT IS TAKEN TO BE WITCHCRAFT MAY DIFFER FROM PLACE TO PLACE DEPENDING ON THE CULTURE OF THE PEOPLE AND THE POINT IN TIME IN HISTORY AND DISCUSSION. FOR INSTANCE AMONG THE NYAKYUSA OF MBEYA AND FIPA OF SUMBAWANGA WHEN A PERSON IS ILL HE WILL GO TO THE DIVINER AND ASK HIM “WHAT HAD MADE HIM ILL” THE DIVINER TAKES HIS CUP, RUBS IT ON A STONE, AND WHEN IT IS STOPPED IN CERTAIN PLACE HE WILL SAY “INDEED THE SORCERERS HAVE BEWITCHED YOU. OTHER METHODS OF DIVINATION USING STONE, GOURDS, NUMBERS, PALM READING, FORMING OR SEEING IMAGE IN POT OF WATER, INTERPRETING ANIMAL MARKS, LISTENING TO AND INTERPRETING SOUND .IN A BROADER VIEW, DIVINATION IS BUT A SPECIES OF MAGIC. AND IF MAGIC IS DEFINED , IN ITS MODERN ACCEPTED SENSE, AS THE ART OF EFFECTING RESULTS BEYOND HUMAN POWER BY SUPERHUMAN AGENCIES. IS ALWAYS PERFORMED AS A SORT OF MULTIPARTY CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL HEALER, THE CLIENT, AND UNSEEN SPIRITS BOTH OF THE HEALER AND OF THE CLIENT, THROUGH WHICH THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SECRET KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT INTO THE FUTURE.



AS SUCH MEDICINE ARE LIKE RADIO SET FUNCTIONING BETWEEN TWO TERMINAL, THE SOURCE ( SPIRITS OR DIVINITIES) AND RECIPIENTS ( DIVINERS OR PRIEST) OF THE BROADCAST. THIS IS THROUGH THROWING BONE, TALKING IN THE GOURD, OR WATCHING THROUGH LOCAL TV.DURING DIVINATION THEY LOSE OR SOMETIMES PRETEND TO LOSE THIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL SENCES SO THAT THE SPIRIT WORLD THROUGH THEM CAN POP UP INTO THE HUMAN WORLD WITHOUT CAUSING FEAR, DISTURBANCE OR DISGUST AMONG PEOPLE. THESE DIVINERS WORK UNDER PRESUMPTION THAT A PERSON APPEARING BEFORE THEM BOTH HAS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND NEEDS MEDIATION FROM UNSEEN SPIRITS THROUGH NEGOTIATING. THE ART OF DIVINATION PRESENT THE CHALLENGE ON THE KILLINGS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE. THE DIVINATION IS DIFFICULTY TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS, IT MIGHT INVOLVE THE DIVINERS EXTRA SENSORY ABILITY, IT MAY INVOLVE SPIRITUAL AGENT.THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOME WHO ACTS AS DIVINERS FOR THE SAKE OF GAIN, AND MANIPULATE CONJURING TRICKS TO GET. BUT THE PEOPLE , BELEVE WHETHER OR NOT THAT THE INFORMATION IS GENUINE NO ONE GOES TO WITCH DOCTORS AND TOLD THAT HE HAS NO PROBLEM.I HAVE NO INFORMATION WHETHER GOD EVER FUNCTION OR COMES INTO THE PICTURE IN THIS MANNAER