INTRODUCTION
Princeton University on line dictionary explains magic as “…any art that invokes supernatural powers”, or
it can be explained as practice
which aims at controlling and summoning natural creations by use of charms or rituals, it is usually
done with intention of disrupting natural course of events in order to produce
desired outcomes.
It
was common notion that men or women acquire these magical powers through
learning special techniques and rituals especially in reformation era. Hence
during fifteenth to seventeenth century magic was considered as learned
activity. Magic is a one large umbrella where witchcraft comes under it. Meaning
of word witchcraft is not specific but varies culturally. Other names for
witchcraft that are used in Southern United States are voodoo, conjure or mojo.
Whereas now days it can also be referred as “Wicca” or some of followers of neo
pagan religions refer themselves as witches (Baroja, J.C, 1973)
Witchcraft can be
defined as an act of magic that will result in harming natural environment or
person. In this specific background magic and witch craft can be used
interchangeably. Whereas it is assumed that witchcraft is used for negative
purposes whereas magic can be used in positive way. But at the end these don’t
have scientific grounds (Ciekawy, 2005).
Now a day’s People have associated fear and hate towards witchcraft and those
who are accused of practicing it.
HISTORY
Belief
in witchcraft has been around as long back as one can remember and even today
the wave of time have-not been able to wash away the witch’s imprints on the
stand of many a culture.Witch craft is a concept that has been gone under
several alterations up till now. Witchcraft is considered as a symbol of evil
over all regions of the world. It includes agricultural to industrialized
societies. But this was not the story from beginning. Witches were part of
society since first band of humans gathered. At that time these powers were
used to ensure successful hunting. Western belief about witches grew out of
folklores of Greeks and Romans. (a short history of witchcraft, 2009) . Talking about
Europe, witches and witchcraft have been existing in Europe from early middle
ages. At that time witches was felt to be somebody who had innate powers that
could be mobilized for good or evil and these powers are inherited from mother
to her daughter. But from 15th century a new model emerged in which Christian
theologians argued that witches are not isolated magical practitioners but
members of satanic sect, and their powers came to them as a result of pact they
made with god (A.Sharpe, 2004) . This belief strengthened after Pope
Innocent VIII issued a declaration in the 1498 which made it confirm that
existence of witches in society is harmful and authorize killing of witches. It
started after 1200 under orders of church yet massive level witch hunting
recorder between 1500-1600. People who were suspected as witches were burned at
stakes or either stoned or burned to death
Existence of Witchcraft In Different Regions
AFRICA
Belief
in witchcraft is widespread in Africa. We can say that witch craft is quite
dominant in African society. Inhabitants of Africa associate everything that
they don’t understand with magic and even natural disasters as a result of
doing of some witch. In South African culture, people who use magic are divided
in to three classifications: ‘thakathi’ or witch; mostly female; is one
who operates in order to harm others. ‘Sangoma’ or shaman; usually
female; is the one who detect illnesses and predict an event. Last one is ‘inyanga’
or witchdoctor; exclusively male; who heal illnesses and injuries through herbs
and provide people with magical items. In
Gambia, people say that witches can take form of owl at night and they kill
them whenever they see them because they consider them as witches on evil
mission. Even in some cases sleep walking, hallucinating, stubbornness,
albinism and uttering meaningless words are associated with magic and its
effects. Although modern world have rejected concept of witchcraft up to
greater extinct but still African communities have strong belief on magic and
its practices. (Igwe, 2011)
INDIA
In
India population still have belief on witchcraft and take magic and witches in
a very negative connotation. In spite of people’s believe government of India
have passes Witch Prohibition Act in 1999. Under this act witches who are
suspected will face severe consequences. Soraj ajay skria explored cases of
women who were tortured and murdered under acquisition of being a witch in
British India. In 2013, Al Jazeera documentary explained lives of those who
were accused i.e. how they were enforced to leave area and move far away from
community, a land where there are scarce resources. People use these
allegations as political purpose i.e. property disputes and disease.
In
Rajhistan ; area that share borders with Pakistan; government have enacted Rajasthan Women (Prevention and Protection from
Atrocities) Bill, under this bill it is illegal o perform any witchcraft that
leads to harm people and guilty person will face 3 years in jail. According to The New York Times, “The mixing
of old superstitions with modern material desires has proved deadly for these
women, as many brandings are now done to disinherit them from family property” (Sharma, 2012)
ROLE OF WITCHCRAFT IN SOCIAL SETTINGS
Witchcraft
plays significant role in society at different levels. Different ethnographic researches
have been done by anthropologist’s catering with the positive role of witch
craft in society. Evans Pritchard explained in his work that witchcraft can be
understood as an explanation for misfortune, which might provide people with
sense of control on their lives and give ability to understand forces that are
surrounding them. This is known as empowering function of witchcraft. Fortune
(1932) did study on Melanesian society and explained positive functioning of
magic in their society. Similarly Malinowski (1935) explained positive social
role of witchcraft in Trobiand sorcery. Evans Pritchard’s book Max Gluckman
(1944), he said that “If a sociologist can find where charges of witchcraft in
particular society fall, he can almost reconstruct the social relationships of
the society”. Other studies explain role of witchcraft in society were : “the
social function of witchcraft by J.D. Kridge 1947, witch beliefs and social
structure by Monica Wilson (1951) , witchcraft in four African societies by
S.F. Nadel (1952). Keith Thomas (1971) once said that role of magic is much
more extensive then we originally think in modern society.
PAKISTANI
CULTURE
Research
was done on Sonikot, Pakistan by Waheel Iqbal Chaudhry which showed that
although at present no witch can be found alive but there are stories of
witches everywhere but physical existence is absent. Same is concept of witch craft in other
regions of Pakistan. Islam is the chief religion of Pakistan and it encompasses
a wide range of practices such as evil eye, amulets, astronomy, black magic
etc. black magic or sihr is explicitly forbidden but still practiced by some practitioners.
Although in Quran Surah Al Falaq is best remedy to ward off black magic. (Waheed Iqbal Chaudhry, Tooba Rafi, 2013)
In
Pakistan people who perform these magic activities are commonly called ‘amil
baba’ and surprisingly although religion does not allow but we can see dozens
of advertisements of witchcraft performers in advertisement and newspapers.
These people use wodoo dolls, amulets, hairs to perform magic on and claims
that they have ‘jinns’ who work for them. People in Pakistan avail services of
these practitioners in order to get better from illness, revenge from others or
destroy their enemies. These are mostly limited to female followers who feel
vulnerable in this patriarchal society and find magic as only way out and it
empowers her and make her equal to male psychologically (Sebald ,H., 1978)
It
is commonly believed that pregnant women are most prone to these witchcrafts. Pregnant
women are consider vulnerable because she is “soon to be” a mother. And she is
always having fear of miscarriage, death birth or permanent sterility because
of evil eye or witch craft. Basically there are certain insecurities that give
birth to such beliefs i.e. in this case mother have fear that if she loses her
baby she will move down to lower status in hierarchy so she use amulets and
incantations in order to ward off evil eye and witchcrafts (H.Qamar,
2012)
Other
than that with craft and with craft hunt is common topic in television programs
such as in program Raid by Dawn news they covered and entire program on witch-hunt.
Other programs include Utho Jago Pakistan (Jadoo Aur us Ka Tor) which was on aired on 25th April 2012 and Rangey Hath ( Kala Jadu
Kia Hai) on Jaag TV.
Although this belief on magic has been declining i.e. younger generation is much lesser follower of concept of existence of witches then that of older people similarly belief on witchcraft lore is more commonly seen in female rather than males. Studies have proved relation of education and with craft believe as more educated people have lesser belief on witch craft ten uneducated people.(Waheed Iqbal Chaudhry, Tooba Rafi, 2013)
Although this belief on magic has been declining i.e. younger generation is much lesser follower of concept of existence of witches then that of older people similarly belief on witchcraft lore is more commonly seen in female rather than males. Studies have proved relation of education and with craft believe as more educated people have lesser belief on witch craft ten uneducated people.
CONCLUSION
Witchcraft
has been around world from time when human first gathered in groups but the
purpose and usage has changed from time to time. Today witchcraft is been
attached with negative connotations and most of people negate existence of
witches but still this operates in society and effects in a way that we cannot
even imagine. Pregnant women fear from evil eye and other magical practices.
Similarly human have always created something to fear from and most of the time
it was magic. In Pakistan connotation of witch is attached with female and
mostly women are involved in such activities yet they consider it immoral. But as time has passed young generation has
much less belief on these supernatural activities and they try to find
empirical proofs rather the believing on these witchcrafts similarly education
is also a major factor that have contributed in lowering rate of reliance on
magic but still we cannot say that this society is cleared from those who
believe in it. In short we can say that this society is divided in to two
extremes of followers and non followers.
Bibliography
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Ciekawy, D. (2005).
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21). Pregnancy Myths and early childcare: research reflections from the rural
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Igwe, L. (2011, AUG 19). Belief
in Witchcraft in Africa. Retrieved from Butterflies and wheels:
http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2011/belief-in-witchcraft-in-africa/
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Fight Back Against Witch-Branding in Rajasthan. New York Times. Retrieved
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Rafi. (2013). With craft to witch lore: a transformation in concepts and
practices.
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