S PIRIT P OSSESSION A CCOMPANIED WITH B EING

B

Witchcraft and witchcraft accusations are not common among the Maasai.

Ritual eradication of witchcraft, at least the communal purification of the whole 'village' known among the coastal Bantu areas, is also virtually unknown.

However, in a number of cases the mganga first suggested that the troubles are

due to being bewitched. Because ill deeds of witches are generally identified only afterwards, through divination rituals, it is quite common to bring forth a witchcraft hypothesis first. It should be said in passing that the Maasai do practise cursing (alak 'to curse'), but it is an open activity and is made in presence of the person to be cursed. A witch, on the other hand, does not carry out ill activities openly. In fact they are believed to operate at night when other people are asleep.

How much beliefs in witchcraft have infiltrated into Maasai thinking is not known. However, such beliefs do have some functions, concluding from a number of case histories. In fact, the belief in witchcraft is found quite commonly among the Maasai. But because it was very likely introduced by Bantu healers, it is natural that effects of witchcraft are also treated by them, and not by the Maasai iloibonok. The diagnosis may reveal that the troubles in the patient are caused by both witchcraft and spirits. Sometimes the patient may have several spirits at one time, and in addition be bewitched and have some 'ordinary' ailments. The treatment of such patients is often very expensive.

"During the fourth pregnancy I was taken to a doctor at Monduli. He shook the calabash of rocks which told him that I was bewitched. He then gave me medicine and charms and told me to put the charm on the child when it was born and then soak him in animal fat. I was better then until the fifth pregnancy. This doctor's charge was 100 Sh.

I went to a second doctor ('laibon'), an Mlumbwa (Parakuyo) by the name of Moreto. He gave me medicine and charms and told me I was bewitched. Although I received no benefit from this I was charged 60 Sh." (p10)

"I was then brought to a traditional doctor at Engassmet. Upon arrival at the doctor's home I refused his help saying that I did not have a spirit. I was then taken to a laibon at Kisongo who shook the calabash and told me I had a regular sickness plus the fact that I was also bewitched by someone." (p20)

"People at home told me that I have been bewitched. I was told that I should go to a mganga to be prepared a charm against witchcraft. After diagnosing, the doctor (Mkwere) told me that I had a spirit." (p37)

"Spirit possession in me was accompanied by witchcraft. I went to those local healers who know to take things out of people's bodies, from their blood. A thing like a piece of meat came out of my body. I was told that it was put there by someone. When the blood coagulated immediately after it came out of the wound, it turned into a kind of meat-like substance. It was a proof that I had been bewitched. There was a spirit, but I was also bewitched." (p57)

"When I came from Simanjiro I had a spirit. I felt something hot in my body. I was shocked and I started to cry. I was told that I have been bewitched. My body became swollen. The spirits wanted to drink the blood of animals. Later on emerged Chui (Leopard), Simba (Lion), Mwarabu (Arab), Pepo ya Wanawake (Spirit of Women), and Pepo ya Wamorani (Spirit of Morans). I had all kinds of spirits. Sometimes all the spirits come, in other times only a few. I am forced to dance and sing. I was sent again to Simanjiro for treatment by a mganga, and thereafter to Arusha for Ibrahimu Mapembe (a very expensive one). I had also pains in stomach, not only a spirit. I continue to be drummed until now. I started to participate Christian instruction when I was in Simanjiro.

People told me that I should not come to the church before I had finished with those medicines. It is forbidden with mystical sanctions (enturuj in Maasai) to throw away medicine, and I had not yet finished with those medicines. Maybe I shall join the teaching class, but I have doubts, because the spirits continue to return to others who have been baptised.

Yesterday I was again drummed because of pains, but they continue to be there.

A Swahili healer in Ngare Narok said that it is a spirit. After I had returned home the people there said that I should be drummed, because the mganga said so. I was drummed and I danced and sung." (p72)

"I experienced spirit infliction for the first time when I was already married. One day, when we had moved to a new kraal, one woman sent me to fetch water from inside the house. When I arrived to the container I fell down and fainted. The woman found me as if I were dead.

Since this time I continued to faint every now and then, and I was taken to a local doctor. It was thought that I am bewitched. Another doctor was invited to remove the curse. The doctor removed a horn, covered by a cloth, from the bed of the mother. Suddenly I started to shake and shiver while hearing the beat of the drums. This was an indication that I had a spirit.

I continued to faint daily, but I did not shake. Only afterwards I started to shake, and this continued almost without interruption.

First I was taken to a local doctor, who thought that I have been bewitched. One cow horn was found hidden in the bed, and another one was found at the door post. The doctor started drumming and I began to shake. When the spirit was asked to reveal itself, it stubbornly refused to say anything and nothing else could be done.

After I had given birth to the first child I started to have burning pain in chest. Breasts started swelling and issuing blood. Especially in the morning blood came out of breasts. Then the left breast dried up completely, and I was forced to stop the breast-feeding of the child. So I continued until I was pregnant to the second child.

Then I was again taken to a local doctor. He wore a hyena's hide on his head, a string of beads on chest, and a skin on loins. He looked very dreadful. He started to dance. And when I tried to follow him and dance and sing like he I failed completely. I fell down in a shade of a tree and I fell asleep. They called me saying, "So-and-so come, come to see your doctor." I could not respond to the call.

However, after this doctor had performed his drumming, I began to have fits." (p36)