Witchcraft, oracles, and magic play a significant role in the traditional beliefs and practices of the Azande people in Central Africa. The Azande believe that supernatural forces influence their daily lives and that witchcraft is a prominent aspect of this influence. In Azande society, witchcraft is seen as a natural and inherent power possessed by individuals. It is believed that witches have the ability to harm others through their spell-casting. Witchcraft is often described as an invisible force that can cause sickness, accidents, and misfortune. This belief in witchcraft provides an explanation for the unexplainable and strengthens social control within the community.
On the hilltop in the field near my house, there lives a coven of witches. Or, more accurately, there is a coven of witches living in a pocket of the Faerie Realm which has recently become attached to the hilltop by my house. By the rules of the Faerie Court, their home must be hidden using both verbal and somatic charms. I already know the verbal charm. I won't write it here. The somatic charm works like this. Around the hilltop are 13 trees. See diagram. To get to the witches' realm, you must walk the following path. The important part is what side of the trees you pass. If you complete only some of the correct loops, you cannot meet the witches. When standing left of the tree with the cross, you will see the normal hilltop. But once you pass the cross tree, provided you have made the correct loops beforehand, you will see a similar hilltop, except there is a big iron cauldron with three hags capering about. If you line yourself up correctly with the tree, you can see one half of the cauldron to the right of the trunk, but no cauldron to the left. If, at any point during the charm walk, you stray too far from the hill, you will end up back in the mortal realm and have to start the charm walk again. This is where things get confusing. Suppose friends stands south of the hill at the blue marker. Far enough away that they would have to restart their charm walk. Meanwhile I do the correct loops until I reach the pink marker. Now I can see the witches to my north. Since walking south will return me to the mortal realm, I should be able to see my friends to the South. But since they have not completed the walk, they cannot see the witches to the north. So what happens if they start walking north towards me? Then we walk together to the hilltop. Do they meet the witches or not? Something's gotta give. I have not tried this with another person yet. I have tried with my pet labrador. But unfortunately she will not sit still long enough to complete the experiment. The witches are happy for me to know about their den, because I buy so many potions from them. But they will be upset if I tell anyone else. So I would like some opinions on what might happen before I take the risk of letting other people in on the secret. What do you expect to happen?
But once you pass the cross tree, provided you have made the correct loops beforehand, you will see a similar hilltop, except there is a big iron cauldron with three hags capering about. Someone with your experience should be familiar enough with site policy to not ask a question that is explicitly soliciting people s opinions about what could happen.
This belief in witchcraft provides an explanation for the unexplainable and strengthens social control within the community. To understand the influence of witchcraft, Azande rely on oracles. Oracles are individuals who possess the ability to communicate with spirits or supernatural beings.
Witch unsealing the portals of Mercury
Whenever I do spells, I check the phase of the moon and day of the week and try to use the prevalent energy. Most witches find magic works best when the moon is full.
In ancient times, the Moon was thought of as a planet, as was the Sun. Monday was the Moon's day. Sunday was associated with the Sun. The other days of the week were also linked to planets: Wednesday with Mercury, Friday with Venus, Tuesday with Mars, Thursday with Jupiter and Saturday with Saturn. These planetary correspondences are still used by magical practitioners today because the power of tradition is also a strong force.
Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic offers an really good explanation of the history and uses of the power of the planets, what each represents and the colours, herbs and other material components associated with them. Author Rebecca Beattie also goes into each day's planetary hours, to really tap into the right energy for whatever spell you're doing.
Publisher Moon Books says on its website:
"At the core of modern pagan witchcraft is a knowledge system concerning traditions of nature, connection, and embodiment to the astrological planets. Throughout magical history, practitioners of magic have looked to the planets for inspiration and magical help. From the earliest beginnings of written magical texts - the grimoires - magical systems were based on the seven planetary powers that were visible in the night sky. The grimoires were then studied by practitioners of folk-magic - the cunning folk - and by influential groups from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn to practitioners of modern witchcraft."
After exploring the history of planetary magic, Rebecca Beattie explains how to work with the seven energetic powers. The book then has a full chapter on each of the planets in turn, including symbols and sigils; incense, oil and tea recipes; appropriate deities; tarot symbolism; and talismans to craft.
Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic is delightfully written, accessible and practical. I'd thoroughly recommend the book for anyone wanting to learn to use the correspondences of the planets and those with some experience already who want to delve a bit deeper into this essential aspect of witchcraft ancient and modern.
$\begingroup$ What's the point of having faerie magic if it's going to be logical and consistent? Faerie magic should be arbitrary and capricious, that's what makes it faerie magic. $\endgroup$
They act as a mediator between the physical and spiritual realms. Azande consult oracles for various reasons, such as resolving disputes, predicting the outcome of events, or seeking guidance in decision-making processes. The oracle frequently uses poison oracles, where poison is administered to an animal, and the outcome of the animal's reaction is interpreted as an indicator of the supernatural forces at play. Magic is another fundamental aspect of Azande beliefs. It is seen as a means to manipulate and control the physical world. Azande believe that individuals can acquire magical powers through training and initiation. These magical powers can be used for both positive and negative purposes. For instance, a person may use magic to heal the sick or protect against witchcraft. However, magic can also be used for malevolent intentions, such as inflicting harm upon others. The belief in witchcraft, oracles, and magic among the Azande is deeply ingrained in their cultural identity and social interactions. It provides a framework for understanding and explaining the supernatural forces at play in their lives. These beliefs shape their worldview, influence their behaviors, and contribute to the maintenance of social order within the community. Additionally, the practice of witchcraft, reliance on oracles, and use of magic foster a sense of community cohesion and cooperation among the Azande people..
Reviews for "Witchcraft and Ritual Sacrifice Among the Azande: An Examination of Beliefs and Practices"
- Jessica - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Witchcraft Oraclea and Magic Among the Azande." I was hoping to gain a deeper understanding of Azande culture and beliefs, but instead, I found the writing to be dry and difficult to follow. The author seemed more interested in showcasing his own theories than providing a comprehensive analysis of the topic. I also felt that some of the claims made were not adequately supported by evidence. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking to learn about the Azande people.
- Michael - 3 stars - While "Witchcraft Oraclea and Magic Among the Azande" provided some interesting insights into the Azande culture, I found the book to be overly academic and inaccessible for the average reader. The language was dense and verbose, making it difficult to fully grasp the concepts being discussed. Additionally, I felt that the author relied too heavily on theoretical frameworks without providing enough real-world examples or case studies to support his arguments. Although the book had potential, it fell short in delivering an engaging and informative exploration of Azande witchcraft and magic.
- Sarah - 2 stars - "Witchcraft Oraclea and Magic Among the Azande" was a tedious read for me. The author's writing style did not captivate my attention, and I often found myself skimming through the pages. The book lacked a clear structure and organization, making it difficult to follow the author's train of thought. Furthermore, I felt that the content was repetitive and did not offer any new insights beyond what I had already learned from other sources. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others seeking to learn about the Azande culture and their beliefs in witchcraft.