WITCHCRAFT ACCUSATIONS

I wouldn’t be surprised if many Americans do not believe in the existence of witchcraft. Growing up from the small town of Kete-Krachi in Ghana, “witchcraft” was something I heard since I was a baby. I believe in it is changing, but what is more striking is the fact those accused of such spirit possession sometimes confess their sins. Some could go from attacking people’s business, to killing those who are richer or smarter than they are. But sometimes society accuses innocent women of perpetrating evil against people when they had done virtually nothing. This trend became so profound in Ghana, and the result was the establishment of a witch camp in a small village in the northern part of Ghana.

Some of the popular known witch camps are kukuo and Gambaga. Gambaga camp had been such a host for over two hundred years to hundreds of women. The UNHCR defined witchcraft as, “harmful

actions carried out by persons presumed to have access to supernatural powers.” Like I said earlier on, some women accused of such spirit possession confess their sins publicly which attest to people’s beliefs. But at the times, when misfortune strikes young men and women, they blame their sufferings on old women in society. In the documentary “Witches in Exile”, one of the interviewed women was accused of killing her son’s son, which according to her, was untrue. “My grandson died and I was accused of killing him” she said, “they insisted that I confess, but I did not. They beat me so much that I passed out.”She escaped death through the help of her son, and her house was completely burnt the morning after she escaped. In the camp, she, like the many other accused women was completely neglected by her own husband, siblings, friends and even children. “I’m lonely” she said, washing her face with soap and water, “when I am sick, I’m alone until someone finds me.” She like her friends, unless otherwise, would live a life of hunger and depression till they die.

So the problem is, what is the role of government in ensuring that these women are not exiled to these witch camps? How is the government dealing with the public perceptions about witchcraft in country in which 100% of the people believe in witchcraft? An attempt by a group of women in parliament to close the camp did not succeed because of two reasons. One is that these women lawmakers did not have the money to back these exiled women once they return home. The other reason was that, even though the Gambaga camp was a place where witches are bewitched, people back home still see these women as they did before. They still see them as spiritual threat to society, hence their rejection, annihilation and potential beating to death.

But regardless, there is no excuse for denying women the right to live where they want and as they want to live. But this issue must be tackled with an open mindedness so that the best solution could be reached.

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