After the crocodile ranch we went to a village, Mlingotini, to visit a traditional healer/witch-doctor. (There is typically a difference between a traditional healer and a witch-doctor, in that a healer only manipulates energy/spirits for good, while a witch-doctor will use if for good and evil. If someone has a better understanding of this please let me know so I can re-word what I’m saying… Danielle, do you know?). I’m not completely clear if this person was a witch-doctor as well, but he was definitely a traditional healer.
Anyway, we drove outside of Bagamoyo town into the village, which was an experience in and of itself. Just seeing the houses and how people in “the village” have so very little really opened my eyes even more to the poverty around me. (And I was remembering that the women I work with @ Bawodene are from the villages, so they too are extremely impoverished).
Most of the houses were made from stones and clay and had grass roofs... if it rained too hard it seemed that they would just be destroyed. Yet, people were still smiling, saying hello as we rode by in the van, laughing with each other in the street… not complaining… still trying to share and offer what little they did have.
Anyway, we drove outside of Bagamoyo town into the village, which was an experience in and of itself. Just seeing the houses and how people in “the village” have so very little really opened my eyes even more to the poverty around me. (And I was remembering that the women I work with @ Bawodene are from the villages, so they too are extremely impoverished).
Most of the houses were made from stones and clay and had grass roofs... if it rained too hard it seemed that they would just be destroyed. Yet, people were still smiling, saying hello as we rode by in the van, laughing with each other in the street… not complaining… still trying to share and offer what little they did have.
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.Once we reached the house, we each had the opportunity to ask questions of him about ourselves or our future. One girl, Christina, has an immense fear of water, so she asked about it. The witch-doctor told her she had a spirit, called “Mymuona”, attached to her. He recited some lines (all in Swahili… we had a translator), had his assistants take her down to the ocean for a ceremony, and said she would be rid of “Mymouna” the next day—said she wouldn’t be able to stay out of the water.
He then proclaimed to be able to read our thoughts (with the help of the spirits), and tried to reveal information about whatever it was we were thinking of. I guess you could say it kinda worked for me, but again, I honestly didn’t feel it was specific enough… it was very generic and general information that could have applied to pretty much anything I was thinking.
I think the key to this is probably similar to any other belief system. They say in order for you to obtain any useful info from the “healer”/”doctor” you have to believe… otherwise it won’t really be effective and you won’t get a lot of information (or be healed, or whatever you’re visiting for). Granted, I’m positive there is some science behind some of the herbs used in this practice, but for the most part the requisite of believing in it first makes sense to me… I think it’s that way with most things… if you don’t have faith in something and really believe in it (this goes for religion too, I think) then it won’t work for you… Unfortunately, Christina’s “Mymouna” is till with her… she hasn’t been swimming yet…
At any rate, it was interesting to learn about another belief system. I have to admit though… it was a bit eerie…
He then proclaimed to be able to read our thoughts (with the help of the spirits), and tried to reveal information about whatever it was we were thinking of. I guess you could say it kinda worked for me, but again, I honestly didn’t feel it was specific enough… it was very generic and general information that could have applied to pretty much anything I was thinking.
I think the key to this is probably similar to any other belief system. They say in order for you to obtain any useful info from the “healer”/”doctor” you have to believe… otherwise it won’t really be effective and you won’t get a lot of information (or be healed, or whatever you’re visiting for). Granted, I’m positive there is some science behind some of the herbs used in this practice, but for the most part the requisite of believing in it first makes sense to me… I think it’s that way with most things… if you don’t have faith in something and really believe in it (this goes for religion too, I think) then it won’t work for you… Unfortunately, Christina’s “Mymouna” is till with her… she hasn’t been swimming yet…
At any rate, it was interesting to learn about another belief system. I have to admit though… it was a bit eerie…
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2 comments:
I am very impressed and grateful that you are documenting your experiences. I want to ask about the photo with the young woman in the river. What were they doing to her or did I miss it in the blog.
I work with your Aunt Aviva. She sent your link so we can see your experiences.
Peace and Be Safe,
Wanda
Hey Aisha,
Great info and great pictures. The village healer / witch doctor sounds like something from a TV show or movie.
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