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Which term for witches?

Which term for witches?
Posted Mon, 09/14/2009 - 19:58

Which term for witches?

Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

The Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) said while they sympathise with SAPRA, they will not fight for the reclamation of the word "witch".

"The word 'witch' was used in Africa before colonialists came. It originally meant 'a wise woman'. She was the type of woman who could foretell the future and heal people, but colonialists came and destroyed the meaning of the word," said THO national co-ordinator, Phephisile Maseko.

She said any black person who calls themselves a witch risked being lynched, while a white person faced less risk.

"Let (the whites) reclaim it and use it for themselves. We don't want it because it has already been destroyed and will spark fear within communities, as they know (witchcraft) as dark magical powers," said Maseko.

Read the entire article here:
http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/fec13afafe7b407ea11b...

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Morgause's picture

A Witch Remains a Witch By Any Name

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 17:34 — Morgause

This refers to the article in the African Eye:

The fact that the majority of Pagans are white, is not a deciding factor for our stance regarding the word “Witch”. Our Cause is not race-determined as obviously is some people's indifference to the ongoing persecutions, kangaroo courts and killings of only African women, children and old people.

Mr. Adrian Williams is a self-confessed Wiccan. A Wiccan is a “Witch”. A Wiccan is a practitioner of the religion of Witchcraft. Are
we merely playing around with words here, in an attempt to impress Goddess-Knows-Who? Let us not forget that there are people's lives at stake. Is it the fear for personal safety the real motive behind certain senseless suggestions? Is it part of an intricate political ploy that has not at its heart neither justice nor compassion? Is giving folk a word to use as an accusation not the reason for the continued climate of killings and finger pointing?

Some men feel uncomfortable using the term "Witch". Does this absence of ease with the “W” word bespeak an inherent inclination towards gender discrimination, a drive based more on personal issues and or convictions rather than on social concern?

The THO wish to protect and promote African Traditional and Medicinal culture. They do not condone the use of the words "muti killing", as "muti" means "medicine" and medicine is used to heal and not to kill.

In our case "Witch" means "wise person". Why would a wise person who heals and strives for equilibrium, allow the misappropriation of the term "Witch" [ours is the religion of Witchcraft] and furthermore promote its death by social prejudice? Tens of thousands of innocent people died through such false accusations in European and African history and against this we raise our voices in unison.

"Muti murder" is still commonly and frequently misused by the press and media, despite the THO's noble battle against it. We do not advocate nor do we encourage the suppression of African culture, but suggest instead the rigorous application of the penal code against all those involved in the traffic of body parts which are then utilized in the dark magic which Phepsile Maseko described in the African Eye article.

Our Society prides itself in the fact that it embraces diversity. Surely we wish to liberate our people from the fetters of fear and unfounded terror, the reign of false accusations and senseless killings which go hand in hand with finger-pointing and which echo "The Burning Times" in Europe. The direct imputation of an individual, should be the proof of crimes committed. This should not rest on mere hunches or a suspicion.

Or is there something to gain from promoting the permanence/protraction of this reign of terror?

If Witches are folk belonging to a world-wide recognized religious group who believe in "not harming others or themselves", if African Traditional Medicine heals and does not kill, then those who commission the murders, the harvesting of body parts, who facilitate the traffic of organs and bones, those who kill to enrich themselves, should be prosecuted for the crimes they have committed (being accessories to a crime or the direct perpetrators). We should not afford these people "words" behind which to hide nor give them the "excuse" to kill again, and again, and again.

Neither African Traditional Medicine nor the religion of Witchcraft require the use of body parts or the killing of another being. Any such act is not culture. It is a crime plain and simple. It is murder! And the Law should be enforced when someone's life has been taken!

If Mr. Williams, a self-confessed Wiccan (Witch) has not renounced his religious label (Wiccan - see articles in Sunday Times and African Eye),then there is a vacuous senselessness to his suggestion of "ditching the word Witch".

BB
Morgause
SAPC Registrar

Rayne Selene's picture

As always Madame

Wed, 09/16/2009 - 06:16 — Rayne Selene

Truth has chosen you to be her favourite pet... thank you for your wise words.

:)

respect indigenous cultural beliefs?

Wed, 09/16/2009 - 09:36 — Damon Leff

Human rights must not be circumvented through an appeal to a non-existent right to maintain and propagate cultural, religious and racial prejudice that, in South Africa, almost always leads to violence and murder against innocent accused.

We cannot respect a cultural (indigenous) belief that permits or attempts to justify witch-hunts.

Williams argument makes no sense at all.

http://blogs.news24.com/damonleff/15-Sep-2009

Charles's picture

I'm sure that only a very short period...

Wed, 09/16/2009 - 11:02 — Charles

in the company of little Adrian would quickly disabuse you of the notion that ANYTHING he says makes much sense, or is really meant to.

He is, though, fond of repeating soundbytes ad nauseam - a ploy very successfully employed by fascists everywhere, for the nett result is that an untruth, repeated often enough, comes to be generally accepted as a truth.

To illustrate this, look at the example of Anthony Altbeker who was commissioned by Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) to produce anti-gun statistics for them. He produced the 'gem' that "...people who carry firearms for self-defence are 13 times more likely to be shot...". Now that SOUNDS rather official and even factual - but the truth of the matter is that it is absolute bulldust: he admitted as much in a televised debate with opponents of GFSA - but to date has never actually apologised for lying.
Just look at what it says - '13 times more likely'. More likely than whom? The implication is people who don't carry - but that's an obvious lie, given that the statistics weren't derived from any official body of information containing figures pertaining to the prevalence of 'carry' in victims of crime.

However, this blatant lie, even though Altbeker was caught out in it, and admitted that he fabricated it to support GFSA's position, was repeated so many times in the media that any discussion regarding the rights of citizens to self-defence must first begin by refuting this lie. The interesting part of this is that the anti-gun brigade (who NEVER asked for proof of Altbeker's lie), demand proof that Altbeker admitted to fabricating that particular 'statistic'.

Williams is merely using that tendency (of wide-eyed belief in anything that sounds vaguely logical and official) to his own advantage - and our best defence against his lies and misinformation is education of the public to the real meaning(s) and origins of the terms he so carelessly flings around to support his 'cause'.

Charles's picture

The mind boggles...

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 03:47 — Charles

An English word - "Witch" - was used in Africa before the Colonialists came?

My, my, my - perhaps Africa really IS the root, not only of all civilisation, but of all language too...

Which explains, of course, why we whiteys have this annoying tendency to use words like "bus" and "cat", instead of "e-bus" and "e-cat"....

What a load of unadulterated bullsh*t!

wotanwulf's picture

unadulturaterd bs. is good business

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 09:09 — wotanwulf

But it was to be expected. Do not expect any help from those quarters, the winds do not blow in our direction there

The problem is, traditional healing is a lucrative business. You won't believe how much some of these guys are making. They would definitely hate to rock the boat. As to the term "witch", there are many of those lucrative businessmen or women who make a lot of money out of...shall we say services which we would find less ethical.(Despite what the THO might say, this kind of conduct do take place, and a lot of money is usually involved) Obviously they would not want to associate with a name that might draw more attention to the darker side of their actions..I've said it before and I shall say it again. Support from the THO is not going to materialize easily.

The question is: do we really need their support? Are we not better of on our own?

FF

yes and no

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 13:01 — Damon Leff

We started dialogue with the THO when the Mpumalanga bill was being proposed and we asked them for their support in our appeal against the Witchcraft Suppression Act. They sat with Witches at the Law Reform Commission meeting to discuss our objections to the WSA and do support our appeal, though for their own reasons.

I don't think we can reasonably expect traditional healers to reclaim for us. Many dare not speak for Witchcraft in their own communities for obvious reason. The best we can expect is Maseko's publicly stated support for Witches to reclaim the terminology themselves.

Though we are certainly not dependent on the support of traditional healers, it couldn't hurt to encourage continuing dialogue around issues that affect both Witches and traditional healers; muti murders, witchcraft-related violence, traditional courts & witchcraft trials etc.

Charles's picture

You are correct, Damon...

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 14:23 — Charles

but I think we must be VERY careful about whom we consider to be our 'friends' - in this particular case, just the claim that the word "Witch" was used in Africa in days of yore, prior to missionaries arriving and beginning the arduous task of education, renders any sort of coalition with these people completely and utterly laughable. REGARDLESS of the 'concessions' they appear to be making right now.

I would love to see the African (and independently verifiable) etymology of the word, and to learn exactly how they propose to support this particular claim in any credible way. Moreover, how would anybody prove, in the absence of a written (African) history and particularly one with regards to (African) languages prior to the arrival of missionaries (who taught the three "R"s - Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic) in Africa, that the continent of Africa had a prior claim on the word "Witch"? I have a suspicion that any questioning of the logic and truth will be met with loud cries of "Racist! Imperialist! Colonialist!" as is so often the case... But any half-brained academic with an ounce of integrity would laugh loudly and unstoppably at the claim.

By associating with people who make such patently nonsensical claims, we allow ourselves to be painted with the same brush they are using to paint their little world 'African' - and I for one want nothing to do with this.

It's somewhat akin to aligning oneself with a White (or Black, for that matter) Supremacist group just because you agree with their publicly stated aim of 'Recognition for all regardless of ethnicity' - any thinking person just KNOWS that alliance is going to end in tears the moment a dispassionate and independent observer starts to examine the bona-fides of all the parties concerned, and/or the true motives of that particular 'partner' begin to manifest.

Scary stuff indeed...

context and correction

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 15:42 — Damon Leff

Yes, I think I'm not reacting to Phephsile's comment, incorrect as it was reported, because I think I know what Phephsile was trying to say. Her reference to Witches and wise women was, as she herself knows, said and meant within the context of European history. In that context, colonization of Africa by white missionaries certainly did transplant existing European prejudice against Witchcraft along with the usage of the words by them, when referring to African religious and magical practices found on this continent.

I blame the reporter for not contextualizing her comment and for not realizing that failing to do so would make her statement as printed, false.

:-) It's frustrating to see what the press does with even the best of intentions.

We have however been cautioned before in forming alliances with the THO, so I am going to acknowledge your concerns as valid Charles. There are many trad. healing orgs in S.A.
The THO has very clear political muscle behind them - Maseko's & Motshekga's.

We will engage in necessary dialogue on common issues, but not form alliances as we have done with other Pagan groups / orgs, and yes, we will have to be vigilant in correcting misconceptions when they arise.