Evans-Pritchard - WitchcraftOracles & Magic - Chs 1&2

Page 1: Introduction to Azande Witchcraft

Key Concepts

• Witchcraft as Organic and Hereditary:

  • Azande people believe witchcraft is an inherent quality that allows some individuals to cause harm.

  • A witch does not perform rites or use medicines; witchcraft is seen as a psychic act.

• Distinction Between Witches and Sorcerers:

  • Witches are thought to have innate abilities, while sorcerers actively perform magic rites with potions or medicines.

  • Diviners and oracles are employed to combat both witches and sorcerers.

• Role of Beliefs and Practices:

  • Understanding witchcraft is vital to comprehend other Azande beliefs.

  • Consulting oracles and diviners typically revolves around witch-related inquiries.

• Cultural Authority:

  • Every Azande person possesses knowledge about witchcraft, and it's openly discussed in social contexts.

  • Observations made by outsiders reveal the everyday significance of witchcraft in Azande life.

Witchcraft Substance

• Physical Attributes:

  • Witches are believed to possess a physical 'witchcraft substance' that varies in description across individuals.

  • It is humorously referred to as an ugly physical trait, often associated with bizarre physical descriptions by the Azande.

Observational Insights

• Author finds the Azande's beliefs in witchcraft pervasive and vivid, frequently encountered throughout daily social interactions.

Page 2: The Nature of Witchcraft Substance

Description and Location

• Attributes of Witchcraft Substance:

  • Generally described as an oval, dark mass located near the liver or in the small intestine.

• Cultural Context:

  • Witchcraft is considered inherited, with male witches passing their abilities to sons and female witches to their daughters.

  • Solidifies the notion of inherited traits and the significance of lineage in Azande society.

Psychical Heredity

• Duality of Souls:

  • Azande believe in two types of souls: body-soul and spirit-soul, linking witchcraft abilities and inheritance intricately with gender implications.

• Witchcraft Denial:

  • Sons of witches are occasionally viewed as unthreatening if their witchcraft does not manifest.

Page 3: Dynamics of Witchcraft and Revenge

Social Interactions

• Collective Responsibility vs Individual Trait:

  • Though witchcraft is hereditary, social practices dictate that only immediate kin are held responsible.

• Avenging Deaths:

  • Witchcraft as a motive for vengeance; death caused by witchcraft must be avenged.

  • Historically, witches were often executed for severe offenses, leading to a cycle of revenge within communities.

Limitations of Beliefs

• Denying Kinship:

  • When facing claims of witchcraft, kin may distance themselves from accused members by claiming illegitimacy.

• Cultural Reassurance:

  • Autopsies may confirm or refute witchcraft involvement, highlighting cultural practices surrounding witchcraft.

Page 4: Witchcraft as a Cause of Illness and Death

Perceptions of Witchcraft

• Evolution and Resistance:

  • Recognition of witchcraft's role in illness and its connection to death necessitates vengeance or compensation claims.

• Silencing Vengeance:

  • Society carefully circumscribes discussions about deaths resulting from witchcraft, protecting the sanctity of community ties.

Autopsies and Witchcraft Verification

• Ritual Practices:

  • Discusses the ritualistic openness of revealing witchcraft through autopsy, reflecting societal values.

Page 5: Interaction of Witchcraft with Aging

Connection Between Age and Power

• Emphasis on Older Individuals:

  • Older individuals are viewed with suspicion as their powers potentially become more potent.

• Childhood Innocence:

  • Children generally lack accusations of witchcraft given their limited experiences in malevolent social interactions.

Witchery in Social Context

• Interrelations of Relationships:

  • The dynamics of witchcraft in Azande society imply men generally bewitched by men, while women by their own gender, denoting gender norms.

Page 6: Prince and Witchcraft Dynamics

Noble Class Interactions

• Exemption of Nobility from Accusations:

  • Royal family members are usually immune from witchcraft accusations, safeguarding their community status.

• Social Hierarchical Implications:

  • Examines how status influences vulnerability and accusations about witchcraft among the Azande.

Page 7: Mechanism of Witchcraft

The Soul of Witchcraft

• Psychic Interactions:

  • The conceptualization of the witchcraft soul engaging in astral moves emphasizes personal agency.

• Visibility and Detection:

  • The illumination from the witchcraft soul illustrates the distinctions in perception between witches and their victims.

Observational Anecdotes

• Narration Around Witchcraft Events:

  • Details the author's personal experience witnessing supposed witchcraft activity, reinforcing the reality of witchcraft in Zande society.

Page 8: Nature and Time of Witchcraft Action

Temporal Dynamics of Witchcraft

• Slow Infliction of Illness:

  • Illnesses resulting from witchcraft unfold gradually, stressing the complexity in understanding maladies in context.

• Group Dynamics:

  • United action among witches illustrates societal structures and cooperative malevolence in Zande culture.

Conclusion About Witchcraft Actions

• Consolidation of Understandings:

  • Leaves an impression on how belief systems can be interpreted against societal functionality, amplifying notions of kin allegiance and vengeance.

Page 9: Witchcraft's Mystical Dimension

Emanation from the Witch

• Localizing of Actions:

  • Witchcraft's impact necessitates conscious intention and spatial limitations, portraying a controlled cultural response.

Underlying Beliefs

• Nature of Witchcraft:

  • Explains collective beliefs on witchcraft acting specifically within defined proximities.

Page 10: Witchcraft as an Explanatory Framework

Cultural Implications of Witchcraft

• Dual Social Functions:

  • Witchcraft serves as both a social norm and moral guideline among Azande, affecting various aspects from agriculture to interpersonal relationships.

  • Delves into how witchcraft mediates social interactions in misfortune contexts.

Page 11: Cultural Influence of Witchcraft

Examples of Misfortunes

• Application of Witchcraft Beliefs:

  • Illustrates varied instances where daily mishaps are intrinsically attributed to witchcraft rather than rational causes.

  • Asserts the notable blend of their experiences with universal recognition of unfortunate events.

Page 12: Understanding Witchcraft From Experience

Common-Sense and Conflicting Beliefs

• Practical Insight:

  • Explains how the Azande navigate complex interactions of competence, magic, and ordinary occurrences in everyday life.

Page 13: Reality of Witchcraft in Context

Commentary on Witchcraft Existence

• Perceptions of Causation:

  • Describes societal perceptions that react to modern notions of causality in juxtaposition with traditional beliefs.

Page 14: Plurality of Causation in Witchcraft

Cultural Rationalization

• Second Spear Metaphor:

  • Witchcraft is viewed as an additional cause for failures represented as a second spear, providing insight into cultural values around causation.

Page 15: Constraints of Witchcraft at Legal and Moral Levels

Tensions Between Systems

• Legal Implications:

  • Explains the boundaries placed on invoking witchcraft in legal matters, mirroring sentiments towards justice and moral accountability.

Page 16: Witchcraft as Part of Everyday Life

Balancing Different Beliefs

• Human Agency and Natural Realities:

  • Affirmative stance that witchcraft doesn't negate natural causation but supplements Azande's understanding of their environment.

Page 17: Insights Into Zande Philosophy

Interface Between Witchcraft and Nature

• Cognitive Limits in Describing Witchcraft:

  • Suggests that the Azande's perception and cultural handling of witchcraft is inherently experiential rather than abstract.