1st Edition

Witchcraft and Sorcery in Rhodesia

By J. R. Crawford Copyright 1967
    328 Pages
    by Routledge

    328 Pages
    by Routledge

    Originally published in 1967, this book is a study of witchcraft and sorcery among the Shona, Ndebele and Kalanga peoples of Zimbabwe. It analyses in their social context verbatim evidence and confessions from a comprehensive series of judicial records. It provides the first systematic demonstration of the importance and the exstent to which such sources can be used to make a detailed analysis of the character and range of beliefs and motives. The main emphasis is on witchcraft and sorcery beliefs, the nature of accusations, confessions and divination, btoh traditional and as practised by members of the Pentecostal Church.

    Part 1: Evidence and Confessions of Wizardry

    1. Evidence of Wizardry Beliefs in Criminal Cases

    2. The Problem of the Confession of Witchcraft

    Part 2: The Nature of Wizardry Beliefs

    3. The Basis of Wizardry Beliefs

    4. Witchcraft and Religion

    5. Witchcraft and Misfortune

    6. The Making of a Shona Witch

    7. Beliefs in the Manifestations of Witchcraft

    8. Protection Against Wizardry

    Part 3: The Allegation of Wizardry

    9. The Pattern of Accusations

    10. Wizardry Allegations Where No Diviner Was Present

    11. Divination in General 12. Traditional Diviners and Divination Methods

    13. The Supernatural Indication of a Wizard

    14. Shona Names

    15. The Ordeal

    16. Divination in the Pentecostal Churches

    Part 4: The Consequences of the Allegation of Wizardry

    17. Behaviour of Persons Involved

    18. Magical Vengeance Against a Wizard

    19. The Cure of the Wizard's Victim

    20. The Cure of the Witch

    21. Conclusion

    Biography

    J. R. Crawford