Witchcraft, derived from the old English noun ‘Wicca’ and ‘wiccian’ and is often referred to as the practices of magical skills and abilities such as spell casting, conjuring the dead, demonology, etc., has played an important role in historical developments, distinct cultural meaning systems, and language variations in societies across the world1. These practices of rituals or ‘black magic’ were often opposed and punished in society, which usually involve the executions of the accused individuals such as burning, hanging, beheading,...
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A witch, in the most simple form, is a woman believed to have magic or supernatural abilities and that these powers are used for evil or nefarious purposes. Many people accused of being a witch were thought to be associated with or worshipping Satan himself. In addition to worshipping Satan as a holy figure, which was extremely against Christian belief, they were also thought to take part in rituals to the devil that included many unforgivable acts such as human...
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In diverse societies, witchcraft is used differently, and its level of importance varies due to this. Our definition of witchcraft is: “the manipulation of powerful substances or words (via magic) to cause harm (only occasionally good)… It can also frequently be an unconscious activity, which means that the “witch” often does not know he/she is bewitching anyone” (McGarry 2016). The Bantu tribes that will be focused on in this paper, the Lobedu and the Chewa, abide by this definition and...
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It is generally assumed in many parts of the world that witchcraft beliefs have given way to westernization but in sub-Saharan Africa, the belief in witchcraft is widely held. (Miguel 2005). Witchcraft. The definition of witchcraft is socially constructed and it differs from society to society. Chavhunduka(2003) defines it as the use of supernatural forces to influence or predict events. This essay serves to explore the various reasons for the increase in witchcraft accusations with socioeconomic and cultural changes in...
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When one thinks of witchcraft terms like magic, sorcery, familiars, old ladies on brooms with long pointy noses, or rather everything associated with evil doings crosses the mind but is a comprehensive concept. Witchcraft differs in various cultures and shapes society in a way. Thus, if one is to study witchcraft, they would have to familiarize themselves with the background of that certain group of individuals. Evans Pritchard is also one of the recognized anthropologists to conduct an ethnography on...
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'Witch-hunting... helped to unite men – by demonstrating the ultimate evil was female, not male.' The study of popular magic and witchcraft tells us that early-modern European society was a wholly misogynistic one that demonized and persecuted women. The patterns of popular magic and witchcraft can be traced throughout most of Europe from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. The idea that 'Witchcraft was not sex-specific but sex related' according to Christina Larner, is arguable. The study of popular magic and...
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In the year 1692 an incident that resulted to twenty people being executed and even an additional two hundred people being accused of witchcraft .These injustices had prevailed in the society and people would be randomly accused and randomly killed because people believed that witchcraft was a punishable crime like other. In the most bizarre events in the American history the Salem trials had entirely become rampant and even shaped the court decisions (Levin,1955) However in the year 1933common sense...
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Upon first inspection, The Epic of Sundiata seems to be a fantastical tale of witches, super human strength, and a man who cannot be deterred from his destiny. While the epic may not contain the classical makings of reliable historical evidence, it is essential to delve deeper into the story so as to explore the many facets of medieval Malian culture that are revealed. Somewhat like the Iliad and the Odyssey, the Epic of Sundiata was passed down as an...
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Introduction to Witchcraft and Gender Roles in Salem For my paper, I read The Crucible. I will discuss the trials based on the significance of gender roles and the Puritan culture. I will also discuss the motivations of the producer and the accuracy of the film. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Witchcraft can be defined as the use of sorcery or magic and communication with the devil. There is a common belief that there is a link between the ability...
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