MZURI KAJA DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

THE ‘KIZUNGU’ SPIRITS MYTH

THE BELIEF IN SPIRITS IS AS OLD AS HUMAN HISTORY ITSELF. THE BELIEF HAS CONSIDERABLE BELIEVERS AND PRACTITIONERS AMONG THE SWAHILI PEOPLE ALONG THE EAST AFRICA COAST.  IN ZANZIBAR DIFFERENT SORTS OF SPIRITS, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE ARE BELIEVED TO COHABIT WITH HUMAN BEINGS. SOME PEOPLE ARE REMARKED TO POSSESS THEM OR VICE VERSA, THE HUMANS ARE POSSESSED BY THE SPIRITS. THERE ARE LOCAL AS WELL AS FOREIGN SPIRITS, AMONG THEM ARABS AND EUROPEANS. THE EUROPEAN OR “KIZUNGU’ SPIRITS AS THEY ARE LOCALLY CALLED ARE SAID TO HAVE COME ACROSS THE SEAS FROM EUROPE. LIKEWISE, THE ARAB SPIRITS ARE SAID TO HAVE ACCOMPANIED THE OMANI ARABS WHO IN THE PAST CAME TO RULE THE ISLANDS OF ZANZIBAR. SUFFICE IT SAY THAT NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE BUT ALSO THE SPIRITS FROM FAR LAND WERE SO INTRIGUED BY THE BEAUTY OF ZANZIBAR TO THE EXTENT THAT THE PLACE WAS ON THEIR ITINERARIES!

 UNLIKE ARAB SPIRITS FOUND ALL OVER THE COASTAL PART OF EAST AFRICA, 'KIZUNGU' SPIRITS ARE SAID TO HAVE THEIR ABODES ONLY IN MAKUNDUCHI IN ZANZIBAR AND TANGA IN TANZANIA MAINLAND.  WOMEN ARE BELIEVED TO BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE THAN MEN TO ATTACKS BY THE SPIRITS. HOWEVER, EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT MEN ARE MORE LIABLE TO BECOME POSSESSED BY FEMALE SPIRITS, WELL KNOWN OF HAVING IMMENSE JEALOUSY. WITH A FEMALE SPIRIT, A MAN, IF NOT DISPOSSESSED, MAY NOT MARRY FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. THE FEMALE SPIRIT ALWAYS HATES RIVALS!

 SPIRITS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS NATURAL PHENOMENA. ILLNESS, INFERTILITY, IMPOTENCE AND EVEN BUSINESS FAILURES ARE SOMETIMES ATTRIBUTED TO MACHINATIONS OF SPIRITS.  CASTING OUT A SPIRIT FROM THE POSSESSED PERSON IS THE BEST KNOWN SOLUTION TO END A VICTIM’S SUFFERING.  THE SPIRIT BELIEVERS TAKE PRECAUTION NOT TO BE ATTACKED BY EVIL SPIRITS. THE BELIEVERS, FOR INSTANCE, TAKE ELABORATE RITUAL PRECAUTIONS WHEN GOING TO A DISTANCE PLACE IN THE DARK. DEMONIC ATTACKS ARE SAID TO TAKE PLACE AT THAT TIME.

 WHAT HAPPENS TO A PERSON WHO IS POSSESSED BY 'KIZUNGU' SPIRIT? INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, A PERSON MAY BE UNDER THE POSSESSION OF MORE THAN ONE SPIRIT SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND MAY NEED TO EXORCIZE THEM. WHEN IT COMES TO EXORCIZING A ‘KIZUNGU’ SPIRIT, MANY OF THE RITUALS PERFORMED REFLECT SOME TRACES OF WESTERN CULTURE. DURING A DANCE OF EXORCISM, A POSSESSED PERSON DRESSES IN WESTERN COSTUMES LIKE A WHITE HAT, TROUSER AND SHIRT. THE DIET S/HE ASKS WOULD CONSIST OF BISCUITS, CAKES AND WHISKY. DRUMMING AND SINGING, USED TO ENTICE THE SPIRIT UP THE POSSESSOR’S ‘HEAD’, ARE SLIGHTLY CHANGED AND GIVEN A FOREIGN CONTEXT. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WHEN A SPIRIT IS NON-EUROPEAN.

 AS THE SPIRIT RISES, THE POSSESSED PERSON LOSES CONTROL OVER HERSELF AND FALLS INTO A TRANCE. THEREAFTER, SHE WOULD PUT FORWARD HER DEMANDS IN SWAHILI WITH HEAVY ENGLISH OVERTONES. THE DEMANDS MAY INCLUDE THINGS LIKE A GOLDEN RING OR EVEN A COW. THE BELIEF GOES THAT IT IS NOT A VICTIM BUT THE SPIRIT INSIDE HER THAT PRESENTS THE DEMANDS AFTER BEING ENTICED. A VICTIM IS USUALLY SET FREE BY THE SPIRIT  AFTER THE FULFILLMENT OF THE DEMANDS.  HOWEVER, THE EXORCISED SPIRIT MAY ATTACK ANOTHER PERSON. WHEN THE HOST DIES, THE SPIRIT IS INHERITED BY ANY OF THE HOST’S RELATIVES.

 By Mohamed Muombwa

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