{UAH} Going to the, er, witchdoctor for a cure to impotence is harmless, right? Right? - Comment - www.theeastafrican.co.ke
|
1:20 PM |
No comments |
Going to the, er, witchdoctor for a cure to impotence is harmless, right? Right? - Comment
Faith is an integral part of our social fabric, but I have always thought that it should remain generally in the realm of the personal and leave the rest of our social processes as untouched as possible. And it feels as though, generally speaking, this has been possible; we have managed to operate as a secular state.
Room for thankfulness to the creator in our public processes is fine, during ceremonies of import, especially since the language and rituals tend to be inclusive enough for everyone.
It's one of the advantages of having at least two major religions and a few visible minorities, the positive outcome of diversity: We can generally accommodate each other.
Of course it isn't always easy, but there is something handy about redirecting our aggression and divisive issues with the simple use of reminders to practice our utu and upendo. I don't know how many countries in the world that kind of thing would fly in this age of cynicism.
One of the qualities I hope that we never lose is our unabashed use of the word "love" in our conversations reminding each other how to behave.
Even this has its limitations, though.
I have always wondered how one can go about lovingly reminding charismatic churches and the more "excited" religious events to practice love by not turning their speakers on full blast on a Saturday morning. Or ever, if possible, for that matter, until someone can invent soundproofed tenting.
Glancing at Bunge recently, it struck me that it is not uncommon practice for people to give spiritual thanks during their contributions to public dialogue. Fine, perhaps, up to a point.
I just think there's something a little dangerous about mixing matters of spirit and matters of state, especially in the mouth of a politician. The sacred and the profane need a little room apart so that hypocrisy doesn't turn everything into a vast grey zone of ethical flexibility.
And then there's that other threat. For years now I have silently wondered about Haiti and its former despot Papa Doc and how a whole society can just kind of unravel.
Quite distinct from Voudon, Papa Doc managed to invent a special kind of fear that looks suspiciously as though it originated in a broken mind. I think about it because the linkage between that horrible word "witchcraft," its attendant "darkness" and African identity is something valid to worry about.
This week I found out through some data released by Ben Taylor on Mtega.com that according to information released in 2010, some 93 per cent of Tanzanians apparently believe in witchcraft. To which I say: Congratulations, it looks as though we have a majority belief system after all that unites us across all faiths.
But of all things, did it have to be "witchcraft"?
Of course, I am wriggling around trying to find a way to reject this news or make it more palatable. All the usual ways of casting aspersions: Who collected the data, where, was their methodology solid, did a language barrier affect the research, are we sure that this is credible information... There must be a way to deny this information... mustn't there? Besides which, isn't witchcraft illegal in Tanzania?
The signs posted on trees at major intersections offering the services of a mganga from somewhere rural? That is standard practice.
0 comments:
Post a Comment