-Documentary-
The Sacred, the Secular:
Gamiba's Legacy
Overview
My project is focused on comparing The Gambia’s vigorous witchcraft culture to the influential Shamanism practices in Korea. I got an opportunity to travel to The Gambia to research witchcraft practices, especially delving into the social aspect of it through the positive and negative influences that it has had in the community.
Additionally, through interviews in Korea, I was able to investigate and research more about the shamanism practices in Korea and the effects that it has had on the Korean community. My goal is to find the parallels between the witchcraft practices in Africa and shamanism practices in Korea, and finding out the similar patterns that it follows in the religion and social landscape.
What I learned
In this documentary I produced based on my experiences in The Gambia, the speaker shares their personal journey of discovering the significance of Witchcraft, specifically the Marabout practice in The Gambia. Initially, they held negative views due to its perceived negative impact on African societies. However, an interview with the African Museum director in Korea introduced them to a different perspective, viewing Witchcraft as a cultural tradition worth preserving.
I then delve into the Marabout practice in The Gambia, explaining that it is divided into two types: religious leaders who teach the Quran and educate the community about Islam, and those who practice Juju using physical objects for good or bad fortune. The speaker discusses the motivations behind Marabout practices, noting that they are driven by money, power, and fame, and that the community's perspective on the practice is evolving as Africa develops.
Despite the presence of harmful members within the Marabout community, the speaker believes that education and preservation are the key to ensuring the practice remains a positive cultural totem in Gambian society. The speaker also notes that the government is taking steps to address the issue, but doubts that the practice will disappear completely within the next 100 years due to its deep cultural significance.