The foundation of the witch uncensored brings to light the historical and cultural context in which witchcraft accusations and trials took place. The concept of witchcraft has existed for centuries, deeply rooted in superstitions and fears. In medieval Europe, the witch was often perceived as a threat to society and Christianity itself. This led to the widespread belief in the existence of witches and the need to eliminate them. **The witch uncensored foundation reveals the fear and ignorance that fueled these witch hunts**. The witch trials reached their peak in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in Europe and the American colonies.
Kissam’s quest is now to prevent more victims like Justice. The 2013 murder of the girl’s mother prompted PNG’s Parliament to take steps to crack down on sorcery-related violence. It reintroduced the death penalty for murder and repealed the controversial 1971 Sorcery Act, which allowed murderers to use the allegation of witchcraft as a legitimate defense. Peter O’Neill, PNG prime minister from 2011 until his resignation in May 2019, described sanguma as “absolute rubbish” whose believers are “cowards who are looking for someone to blame because of their own failure in life.”
Some 3 million of government funds allocated for an intensive sanguma awareness program has been frittered away, say activists, who insist that foreign assistance must be tied to tackling social ills like gender-based violence and improving access to health care. There is little doubt that in every inhabited continent of the world, the majority of recorded human societies have believed in, and feared, an ability by some individuals to cause misfortune and injury to others by non-physical and uncanny magical means this has been one of the most striking lessons of anthropological fieldwork and the writing of extra-European history.
The witch trials reached their peak in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in Europe and the American colonies. During this time, thousands of people, mostly women, were accused of practicing witchcraft. These accusations often stemmed from personal vendettas, jealousy, and social tensions.
How a 7-Year-Old Girl Survived Papua New Guinea’s Crucible of Sorcery
J ustice is 7 years old. She’s besotted with Frozen’s Princess Elsa and knows all the words to the film’s hit song “Let It Go.” Every morning, she collects the frangipani flowers that have fallen into her guardian’s yard in the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby and turns them into floral brooches, poking the central stem through each snowy petal. When Justice laughs, which is often, her smile beams so wide it seems to stretch her face to breaking point.
It’s hard to imagine how anyone would consider this little girl the encapsulation of pure evil. Yet in November 2017, the population of her village convinced themselves Justice was a witch. That’s why a mob imprisoned and tortured Justice for five days. It’s why they strung her up by her wrists and ankles and began flaying her with heated machetes. It’s why they screamed at her to recant the black magic they accused her of using to strike down another youngster.
“They came to my house and wanted to kill me,” Justice tells TIME matter-of-factly. “They got a big knife and put it in the fire and then hurt my feet.”
Justice, whose real name TIME agreed not to use for fear of reprisals, was eventually rescued by the Papua New Guinea Tribal Foundation, an NGO based in Port Moresby that provides education, health care and humanitarian assistance in Papa New Guinea’s remotest communities. Justice has since been cared for by the organization’s director of operations, Ruth J. Kissam, who is now her legal guardian. TIME met Justice and Kissam for a playdate in Port Moresby, where she has lived since her flight from Papa New Guinea’s arcane Highlands.
No child should have to describe such heinous cruelty. But Kissam, who became a community activist after being forced to drop out of law school to care for her ailing mother and three younger siblings, has spent her life battling the sorcery-related violence that increasingly blights this southwest Pacific country of 8 million. Kissam allowed TIME to meet with Justice because she says the child will only reconcile her ordeal by talking about it. But there is also a far grimmer reason. “We are talking now to raise awareness because we are seeing a lot more kids just like her coming into our system,” says Kissam, whose work earned her the Westpac Outstanding Woman of 2018 Award, which celebrates Papua New Guinea’s most dedicated female talent.
Belief in sorcery, known locally as sanguma, exists across the Pacific and especially in Papua New Guinea or PNG, a country just off the northern coast of Australia incorporating half the island of Guinea, plus some 600 other islands. Eighty percent of the population live in far-flung villages without access to electricity, running water or health care. Its clans speak over 800 distinct languages.
Many aspects of sanguma are entirely benign, part of a folk religion that stretches back millennia. Hunters may collect a tendon from a dead relative’s body to rub on their bows while hunting, believing the spirit helps guide the arrow home. Colds and other ailments are ascribed to the meddling of capricious spirits. Surprisingly, sanguma and Christianity — introduced mainly by Western missionaries — are often revered side-by-side.
But PNG is experiencing a spike in lynching of suspected witches, as uneven development means ever more people leave their villages looking for work. Without established village chiefs or time-honored tribal justice systems in place for addressing sanguma accusations, these swelling communities of economic migrants become more vulnerable to hotheads instigating violence. And because most people who live in PNG lack education and proper healthcare, when a sudden death or illness strikes — a growing scourge as junk food and drugs make previously unknown conditions like diabetes and HIV/Aids more prevalent — angry mobs often go looking for a scapegoat. “There are people who go to different communities and say, ‘If you pay me 1,000 kina [$300], I’ll tell you who is a sorcerer,” says Gary Bustin, director of the Tribal Foundation.
Neighbors gather near the home of 55-year-old mother-of-two Rachel in the Tsak Vally in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea after she recounts how in April 2017, she was accused of sorcery and tortured by people she knew, on November 20, 2018.
Peter Parks—AFP/Getty ImagesVictims are almost exclusively vulnerable women: single mothers, widows, the infirm or mentally ill. The U.N. has estimated that there are 200 killings of “witches” in PNG annually, while local activists estimate up to 50,000 people have been chased from their homes due to sorcery accusations. But sanguma is so secretive, and communities so remote, that experts say the vast majority of incidences slip under the radar. “It’s a really big problem,” says Geejay Milli, a political science lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea and former crime reporter. “The media is not reporting on it enough.”
Social media is compounding the problem. The West is all too aware how a torrent of fake news leads to arguments, hate-filled identity politics and polarization, even influencing democratic elections. But the sudden proliferation of smartphones and platforms like Facebook is even more unsettling across the developing world, where tech neophytes are less discerning consumers.
Conspiracy-laden social media posts played a role in the genocide of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority. In India and Mexico, rumors of shady figures kidnapping children and selling their organs have led to multiple lynchings. In PNG, accusations against suspected witches spread with alarming speed. In one case, a woman who had been accused of being a witch but rescued and relocated to a faraway community was attacked and mutilated after she was recognized from viral Facebook posts.
In a statement to TIME, Facebook said it proactively meets with external experts, NGOs, government officials and organizations with culture-specific knowledge to keep people safe. “We treat threats of violence or physical harm very seriously and will remove this content as soon as we become aware of it,” said a spokesperson, highlighting that Facebook removed 4 million posts containing hate speech globally in the first quarter of 2019.
Development brings other pressures. Resource-rich PNG lies at the center of the geopolitical battleground in the Pacific between the U.S. and key allies like Japan and Australia on one hand, and China on the other. China has pledged some $5.9 billion on more than 200 projects in the region since 2011, according to Australian think tank the Lowy Institute. Analyst and social workers fear social problems like the spread of sanguma-related violence may go untreated as China’s footprint grows, given the Asian superpower’s no-strings-attached investment model, where money is typically funneled to central government without well-defined social deliverables attached. This opacity allows graft to thrive; PNG ranks 138 out of 180 nations on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2018. While it is too early to put the blame of the current spike in sorcery-related violence at Beijing’s door, “China’s lack of concern about human rights, and track record in that regard, is worrying,” says Adam Everill, cofounder of Equal Playing Field, an NGO that works to stem gender-based violence in PNG.
**The witch uncensored delves into the personal and societal motives behind these accusations**, shedding light on the deep-seated prejudices and power dynamics at play. The trials were conducted under the guise of justice, with accused witches subjected to a variety of tortures and trials to determine their guilt or innocence. The witch uncensored exposes the brutal methods used to extract confessions, including drowning, burning, and other forms of torture. Those who were accused often faced certain death, with the trials serving as a means of control and punishment. What makes the witch hunts particularly disturbing is the lack of evidence required for conviction. **The witch uncensored showcases the absence of a fair judicial process and the reliance on hearsay and spectral evidence**. Witnesses would often testify against the accused based on dreams, visions, or their own fears and biases. This led to a cycle of paranoia and hysteria, where any eccentric behavior or deviation from societal norms could be interpreted as signs of witchcraft. The foundations of the witch uncensored also highlight the role of gender in these trials. The majority of those accused were women, with characteristics such as independence, intelligence, and nonconformity often seen as evidence of witchcraft. **The witch uncensored explores the misogynistic beliefs and patriarchal structures that fueled the persecution of women during this time**. In conclusion, the foundation of the witch uncensored provides a comprehensive understanding of the historical and cultural factors that contributed to the witch trials. It reveals the fear, ignorance, and prejudice that drove the persecution of innocent people. By examining the motivations behind these accusations and the flawed judicial processes, we can better comprehend the injustices committed during this dark chapter in history..
Reviews for "Unleashing the Witch: The Uncensored Origins and Practices of Witchcraft"
1. John - 1 out of 5 stars
I found "The Foundation of the Witch Uncensored" to be a complete waste of time. The story was convoluted and lacked any sort of coherent plot. The characters were one-dimensional and hard to connect with, leaving me feeling indifferent towards their fates. Additionally, the writing was clunky and clumsy, making it difficult to immerse myself in the story. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars
While "The Foundation of the Witch Uncensored" had an intriguing concept, it ultimately fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long stretches of repetitive and unnecessary descriptions. I also found the dialogue to be unrealistic and forced, which made it difficult to engage with the characters. The book had potential, but it failed to deliver an impactful story or memorable moments. I was left feeling unfulfilled and unsatisfied after reading it.
3. David - 1 out of 5 stars
I couldn't even finish "The Foundation of the Witch Uncensored." The writing style was pretentious and overly descriptive, making it a chore to read. The characters were uninteresting and lacked depth, making it hard for me to care about their journey. The plot seemed disjointed and confusing, and I found myself constantly questioning the author's choices. Overall, this book was a complete disappointment and I would not recommend it to anyone.
4. Emily - 2 out of 5 stars
"The Foundation of the Witch Uncensored" had an intriguing premise, but it failed to deliver. The story lacked cohesion and the world-building felt underdeveloped. The characters felt like caricatures rather than fully-formed individuals, and their motivations were difficult to understand. Additionally, the pacing was uneven, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed plot developments. While I appreciated the author's attempt at pushing boundaries, I ultimately found this book to be a letdown.