Witchcraft in Bechuanaland

Abstract

WIDESPREAD interest has been aroused by the trial for witchcraft of Bagakgametsi, the former wife of Tshekedi, son of Khama, and regent chief of the Bamangwato tribe. This chief, it will be remembered, earned notoriety a little while ago for inflicting punishment on a white man, as it was held, illegally, and was deprived of his chieftainship in consequence. In February 1936 he married his cousin, Bagakgametsi, but secured a divorce from her on March 7 of this year. She is now twenty-seven years old, and was described by Sergeant Lewis, the prosecutor in the present case at Serowe, as “an educated woman”. With her were accused two men, who are described as witch-doctors. The offence alleged was “practising witchcraft calculated to injure the Queen-Mother, Semane”; but it was asserted in evidence, as reported, that Bagakgametsi herself was in fear, or stated that she was in fear of witchcraft by the Queen Mother, and consulted her two co-defendants to verify her suspicion and secure protection. One witch doctor in giving evidence in defence stated that he blew on a horn and threw the bones the usual divinatory procedure in such cases and said, “If Semane is bewitching Bagakgametsi she should die from blood”. He added that Semane would die within two months. The other witch doctor said that the woman came to him for medicine and said she was afraid that Semane, who-was jealous of her, would kill her. On the other hand, it was alleged by the prosecution that Bagakgametsi had asked one of the men for a poison root to get rid of the Queen Mother so that she alone should share Tshekedi's power. The verdict was “guilty”, and a fine of £50, or twelve months imprisonment was imposed. The case is interesting as-illustrating the strong hold of a belief in witchcraft, on this people, even among the more enlightened, as-well as the illogical working of the attempt to suppress the belief, which concentrates on the witch doctor,, who though in many instances undoubtedly fraudulent, is at least working against an anti-social force which in such circumstances as these goes free. The British code, however, does not recognize witchcraft as such.