Witchcraft

In Mahole, a town so small, the children had never seen a white person before,* there are over 17 people living with epilepsy. Earlier this month a woman gave a child some peanuts, and the child had a seizure. That woman was immediately accused of witchcraft. She was beaten almost until death and was charged for her crime. Her case is being dealt with by the regional counsel. They consulted with a doctor who, through our initiatives, has worked with CODEF. He was able to advise the counsel that witchcraft is not a scientifically proven cause of epilepsy, and directed them to speak with CODEF further. When I met with the village, I gave lessons about the causes of epilepsy and how to react to a seizure. Over 20 people attended, all of them fervently asking questions and taking notes. One man raised his hand. He was the father of a teenage boy living with epilepsy. He stated, “We always thought it was witchcraft. We thought he had been cursed. Now I am realizing that a head injury can cause epilepsy. When my son was younger, he was working under a coconut tree, and one fell on his head. He got very hurt, and shortly after that he started falling [the term used for epileptic seizures in village].”

Witchcraft has been a very hard obstacle to overcome. It is ingrained in the culture and is part of most people’s belief system. Their belief in its role in epilepsy is the leading barrier to the reduction of stigma. Peace Corps Volunteers in conjunction with CODEF have been trying to educate communities on the proven causes of epilepsy (of which witchcraft is not one) in order to reduce stigma and promote proper care. In fact, one of our strongest arguments is that America does not have witchcraft (a fact Cameroonians strictly believe), but that America still has epilepsy.

After giving one such lecture, the hosts served us a meal and drinks. The hosts began talking about the witchcraft subject. “Africans are always using witchcraft for evil. They spend all this time only to create bad things, like epilepsy. But whiteman witchcraft is used for good! Look at the whitemen, they sit around thinking about how to create good witchcraft! Like…look at this bottle! [Holds up her soda bottle] This is whiteman witchcraft! This is good witchcraft! The whiteman has also made airplanes…record players…and…the telephone! Those are good witchcrafts! But here in Africa, we only have evil witchcraft. Africans can be just as smart, it is only that they are concerned with evil things. They need to create good witchcraft.”

* I know the children of Mahole had never seen a white person before because after my lecture a father told his daughter, “Now, when they ask you in school, ‘Who has ever seen a white lady before?’ You can raise your hand and say, ‘I have seen a white lady!!’” Then he turned to me and said, “They have never seen someone like you before!” Peace Corps: improving lives.