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Witch Cleanser | National Geographic


in Central Zimbabwe witches are a part
of life when crops fail when relatives
fight when neighbors field the first
suspicion is often witchcraft anyone
here could be a witch sometimes without
even knowing it in the village of zakho
which trouble is brewing so the chief
calls on a specialist a witch cleanser
security named beery arrives in czaka
with his singers and drummers whose
plane will accompany his ritual
cleansing the cleansing begins like a
trial keenum beery will judge
individuals finding them innocent or
guilty of practicing witchcraft a
balancing device will decide their fate
all the balance is on the first night
China the company Fuhrer we’re dasa part
prosecutor part priest
keenum berry interrogate suspects he
thinks this woman has been using potions
and charms tools of witchcraft she
admits she was trying to have power over
her husband words of husband my husband
has many wives so I used a charm to make
him want only me but now he has left me
no he deserted you because you used an
Evo Tron it’s bad luck
[Music]
regardless of their actual guilt or
innocence people accused of witchcraft
usually confess Keenum berry has his
hands full in Zagreb when a letter
arrives busy not me teaching him another
village needs his help the chief wants
everyone tested they’re nervous and for
good reason in the past when witch
cleansers have come to this village
the chief chose to banish those found
guilty of witchcraft
I moved more than five family hustle
told me they were witches with all my
villages we went to their houses and
asked them to ginam be reveals what
people do and say behind closed doors
motivated by greed jealousy the desire
for revenge
this man acknowledges using an evil
charm
he atones in public bowing to his
neighbors that he’ll never make or use
such charms again confession brings
relief not only to the sinner but she’s
neighbors hear public confession elicits
forgiveness and a new lesson I will no
longer expel any of the villages from
now on simply invite a man like security
number then the charms are destroyed and
the person is normally accommodating in
a village in Zimbabwe witchcraft is as
common as feelings of jealousy lust and
greed emotions that uncontrolled can
unleash evil
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