Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Witchcraft

Over the last few weeks I've become introduced, through clips and snippets of conversations, to the topic of witchfract in Uganda and Africa. I've yet to watch the video Big gave me on the subject, but he swears by all that is good that it will convince me of their powers. For instance, apparently there is a way to tunnel underground or under water to attain great material wealth and riches. This explains how some Africans become rich without seeming to earn money working.

Today Big's stories of witchcraft were corroborated by Steve and Frank, two other players on the football team I coach. They say that the power witch doctors wield in African is large, and that there are many witch doctors in Uganda and even in Kawempe, where I stay. They say that some of these witch doctores are pastors by day, although from my talk with them it seemed liek for the most part witch doctors are scorned by church-goers. Interestingly, many Christians in Uganda believe that these traditional withc doctors do the work of Satan, which seems to have the effect of legitimizing their power and authority within the community. Steve said that he spoke with his pastor about witch doctors, and was told that they worked for the devil, who had more influence on earth than God.

Steve and Frank have also informed me that rumor has it Didier Drogba, Chelsea's star Cote d'Ivoire striker, gained his power from witchcraft. This is meant to explain his rise to fame, as well as his teammate's, Ukranian striker Andreav Schevchenko, lack-luster performance at Chelsea after he was traded from A.C. Milan. Ditto goes for the Argentinian Hernan Crespo. When I asked why the Drogba-initiated curse haven't affected Chelsea midfielder Michael Essian (from Ghana), Steve reported that it was much more difficult to cure and African.

In general I've found superstition in Uganda a very real, if suble, part of everyday life, ranging from neighbors hexing "possessed" dogs to curses in children's games.