Marabouts and magic water

Thursday, 3 April 2008

Since I got discouraged about my village work recently, I decided I should spend more time on cultural experiences, at least until I get some new project ideas or enthusiasm for my old projects.

So last week I went to visit a marabout, who is like a Muslim shaman. They make charms and potions for just about anything – to help you get a job, to protect your health and keep bad spirits away, make someone fall in love with you, get revenge on your enemy… Of course something like killing your enemy is considered black magic, and many marabouts won't do that sort of thing.

The marabout I went to is a relative of one of my villagers, so we went together to see him at his house in Tamba. He sat on his prayer rug while we talked, and I told him that I wanted something to protect me from bandits when I'm traveling. He said no problem, he'd have it ready in a few hours, and then he left.

My village friend and I waited at the house, watching African movies on the TV and eating lunch. Finally in the afternoon the marabout came back. He had made a necklace for me out of snakeskin and some kind of hair. Presumably he said some prayers or incantations or something while he made it, but disappointingly I didn't get to see it because that part is secret. He told me that when I wear the necklace I will be protected against all physical threats, including bandits, wild animal attacks, and car crashes.

Then he told me he had also made me some magic good luck water as a gift. He poured the water out of the Fanta soda bottle it was in and into a gourd bowl, and then he placed a board over the bowl and told me to step on it. If the gourd didn't crack with my weight then that meant the magic water would work. So I stepped up onto the board. The gourd made a sound like it might crack, but it didn't. Then while I was still standing on it the marabout started saying incantations. Creepily, the wind picked up right then and blew really hard for a few seconds. The marabout said that was the spirits working. Then it was done, and he told me I could step off the board and poured the water back into the Fanta bottle. I'm supposed to wash with a little bit of it every day, and then whatever I do that day will be successful.

So that was my trip to the marabout. I haven't used the magic water at all, but I have been wearing the necklace. He also told me that it would be good if I would sacrifice a completely white sheep and not eat any of it myself except for the heart and liver, but I think I'm going to pass on that one.