-Analysis-
Delving into
the Marabout culture in Gambia
History of Marabout culture in Gambia
Before the advent of European colonialism, the roots of witchcraft in Africa stretched back to ancient times and sprang from various cultural wellsprings. Entwined with animistic beliefs, reverence for ancestors, and a deep respect for the forces of nature, the expressions of witchcraft were as diverse as Africa's ethnic mosaic.
The evolution of witchcraft in Africa is not thoroughly documented, but it has been present since at least the Early Iron Age, with the Bantu attributing evil to witches or sorcerers. Definitions of witchcraft were culturally relative, varying significantly between societies. While often utilized for benevolent ends such as healing, bolstering productivity, and safeguarding individuals, it was equally employed for sinister means.
Witchcraft in African societies was imperative, where spiritual practices including magic were a regular part of communal and religious life. Witchcraft held a dual-natured power, both able to bestow benefits such as healing, fertility, and protection, or inflict curses and harm.
Interviews & Analysis
Click below images to watch each interview.
Christian Marabout
Gambian Pastor
Imam Hussein
Imam
Marabouts
Imam #2
Yaya (Citizen)
Interview #1: Christian Marabout
Overview
This marabout was blind for four years and grew up as a Christian. One day, he experienced a miracle of “God” and gained his sight back, which prompted him to become a marabout to help others through his “God” that helped him.
He was only able to gain his powers as a marabout because his ancestors were also marabouts. He only focuses on the healing aspect of witchcraft practices. He brings in spiritual power and knowledge to create these medicines to help other people.
What I learned
Marabouts believe that they are using their powers for good. So, even though they are aware that they are getting their powers from the evil or the devil, they believe that the work that they are doing is considered good and beneficial to society.
They are also receiving the same powers as their ancestors. All the people state that becoming a marabout without any background in the family is impossible and the power and knowledge must be passed down through the generations.
The Marabouts have different powers and abilities, as they draw their powers from different sources, so the healing, Juju, or fortune telling practices are all different for the individual marabout.
Interview #2: Gambian Pastor
Overview
He is a pastor that converted into Christianity and his job is being a compound manager of WEC international so I have a fellow CPA running Jolla Fellowship under the Evangelical Church of The Gambia.
He was originally part of a Marabout family, as both his grandfathers and father were marabouts themselves. Through his background, he explains about the process in which the marabout takes in order to carry out the practice of Juju or healing.
Specifically, mentioning the book called the Shams al Marrif, as the main use to call in spirits to carry out these different practices. He also further emphasizes that the Islam faith is intermingled into the marabout practices, as some Imams, muslim leaders, practice witchcraft too.
However, he explains that small sectors of muslim like the Wahhabis do not follow the marabout practices. Most of them originate from the people who studied muslim in middle eastern countries.
What I learned
The witchcraft practices have a convoluted history, and have a set of rules that they follow to carry out the Juju practices.
Especially with the usage of the book Shams al Marrif, and its ability to supposedly carry out Juju practices, and its strong ties with the muslim religion to carry out the practices.
Additionally, the idea that it is mostly the African muslim countries that actually follow this witchcraft practices, and not the Wahhabis that are getting educated from the middle eastern countries.
This informs me that it is a built in culture for the African community to have these kinds of witchcraft practices compared to the other continents with high muslim populations not believing in these practices.
It proves that these marabouts are a significant part of Africa, symbolizing as a cultural and religious totem in African society.
Interview #3: Imam Hussein
Overview
Imam Hussein talks about the difference between the marabout and Imams, as he states that they are completely different, but have strong ties to the muslim faith.
Imam Hussein believes that Islam is a very free religion and that it is up to the individual to visit the marabout, and emphasizes that it is neither good nor bad for the people and country of Gambia.
Even Christians and people of other faiths go to find the marabout, because the people believe that the marabout can actually do things for them, such as Juju or healing.
What I learned
People who are educated know the shortcomings of the marabout practices and do not believe in them. Just like any religious leader, Imam’s emphasize to seek God first for their problems rather than to go look for a marabout.
However, due to the dependence of marabout and their strong cultural roots, it is impossible to erase the marabout population and the people that believe in them.
A lot of these marabouts charge an absurd amount of money compared to the wage that a regular person in Gambia makes, and a lot of marabout like to take advantage of the people for the money.
Interview #4: Imam
Overview
This Imam strongly disagrees with the practice of marabout, as he describes that they are all evil and driven by the devil.
He explains that a lot of marabouts force people to sacrifice for the sake of money. He feels very unfortunate that so many citizens believe in these sacrifices and actually meet and carry out the sayings of the marabouts.
He constantly tries to educate the people in the mosque and in his school, but they never listen and always go back to the marabouts.
What I learned
The educated people know the negativity of the marabout and how they have affected many individuals and society in general. However, there are still so many people who are not aware that they are being used by these evil people.
The educated, especially the Imams, have worked to educate the people, but because of the strongly embedded nature of the witchcraft culture, it is hard for people to easily move away from their old practices.
It has become a culture and traditional totem for the citizens that they can not let go.
Interview #5: Marabouts
Overview
The marabout talks about being a chosen one from God to be an marabout.
He believes that he got the power from God, and the ability to read and understand beyond what the Quran states. He talks about how he is a marabout that teaches someone rather than practicing Juju or healing.
What I learned
There are two specific types of marabout. This one is the one that only educated others through muslim and Quran.
His objective is to teach others about information that can not be obtained by a regular person, ultimately trying to enrich the other’s understanding of the Muslim religion.
Interview #6: Imam
Overview
Again, emphasizes the fact that there are two types of marabouts: one that heals and does Juju and one that teaches Islam. This Imam believes that the marabouts that teach the Imam and the citizens are more powerful than the Imam.
However, he believes that his faith is powerful enough that he does not need the help of a marabout, and that it is not a necessary part of the society.
What I learned
Just like Imam Hussein, Imam Abraham talks about how the presence of a marabout is not really necessary and is of people’s free will.
However, he does acknowledge the fact that some marabouts are very knowledgeable and powerful about the Islam religion, and can be more powerful than Imams, leaders of the mosque, themselves.
Interview #7: Yaya-Citizen
Overview
A regular Muslim citizen in Gambia, his name is Yaya. Yaya talks about the corruption that is happening within the Africa community regarding marabouts by mentioning that there are a lot of “bad” marabouts, who just scam others and chase after money.
Yaya talks about the good marabouts that are existent in the society, such as the marabouts that teach others about muslim and have good intentions when teaching or healing another.
However, he emphasizes the fact that the presence of the good marabout will always have a presence of a bad marabout and that it is impossible to get rid of the bad ones.
With the African society developing and having more interactions with the internet, they have been able to distinguish between the good marabouts and bad marabouts.
What I learned
I was able to view the marabouts from a muslim perspective. Yaya gave me a good idea of how the marabouts have been affecting the lives of many people in Gambia negatively and positively.
Similar to the view that I had before going into the interview in Gambia, he gave me a similar perspective that the amount of marabout and witchcraft practices in Gambia is decreasing.
However, he significantly attributed the idea of the witchcraft practices decreasing to the educational level of Gambia rising.
I learned that the educational standards in Gambia are increasing and more people are able to focus on other subjects other than seeking for witchcraft or even practicing witchcraft.
He also mentions a few examples of how the bad marabouts have been scamming the people and affecting the lives of the people in Gambia, but also includes that the government has been intervening and increasingly trying to regulate the bad marabout practices.