the village of neon II in northern Ghana at first glance it looks like any other
at first glance it looks like any other
at first glance it looks like any other West African village but this is a
West African village but this is a
West African village but this is a community of outcasts the men and women
community of outcasts the men and women
community of outcasts the men and women at this funeral have been banished from
at this funeral have been banished from
at this funeral have been banished from their home villages forced to give up
their home villages forced to give up
their home villages forced to give up everything they’ve known in the world
everything they’ve known in the world
everything they’ve known in the world homes families friends all because
homes families friends all because
homes families friends all because they’ve been accused of being witches in
they’ve been accused of being witches in
they’ve been accused of being witches in much of the Western world today
much of the Western world today
much of the Western world today certainly in America witches ghosts and
certainly in America witches ghosts and
certainly in America witches ghosts and goblins exist only in legend but
goblins exist only in legend but
goblins exist only in legend but throughout Africa the notion of
throughout Africa the notion of
throughout Africa the notion of witchcraft is very real the spirit world
witchcraft is very real the spirit world
witchcraft is very real the spirit world is no less present than the physical
is no less present than the physical
is no less present than the physical world and those who are believed capable
world and those who are believed capable
world and those who are believed capable of harnessing its power to do harm are
of harnessing its power to do harm are
of harnessing its power to do harm are greatly feared so much so that often
greatly feared so much so that often
greatly feared so much so that often they must be banished like the accused
they must be banished like the accused
they must be banished like the accused witches of nany one of those outcasts is
witches of nany one of those outcasts is
witches of nany one of those outcasts is Sanka a recent arrival Csonka was
Sanka a recent arrival Csonka was
Sanka a recent arrival Csonka was transformed from woman to witch after a
transformed from woman to witch after a
transformed from woman to witch after a young man in her village fell sick and
young man in her village fell sick and
young man in her village fell sick and died the grieving family wanted to know
died the grieving family wanted to know
died the grieving family wanted to know who was responsible he turned to the
who was responsible he turned to the
who was responsible he turned to the local fortune-teller to invoke the
local fortune-teller to invoke the
local fortune-teller to invoke the ancestral spirits and said the source of
ancestral spirits and said the source of
ancestral spirits and said the source of the evil was Sanka
the evil was Sanka
the evil was Sanka her Csonka it was a terrible moment she
her Csonka it was a terrible moment she
her Csonka it was a terrible moment she had lived here her entire life
had lived here her entire life
had lived here her entire life now she could lose everything Santa
now she could lose everything Santa
now she could lose everything Santa pleaded that she had done nothing so the
pleaded that she had done nothing so the
pleaded that she had done nothing so the aggrieved family turned to the ultimate
aggrieved family turned to the ultimate
aggrieved family turned to the ultimate arbiter in such matters the fetish
arbiter in such matters the fetish
arbiter in such matters the fetish priest after offering libations to the
priest after offering libations to the
priest after offering libations to the ancestors the fetish priest announced a
ancestors the fetish priest announced a
ancestors the fetish priest announced a test that would shock many Westerners
test that would shock many Westerners
test that would shock many Westerners sanga’s fate the entire course of her
sanga’s fate the entire course of her
sanga’s fate the entire course of her future life would be decided by the
future life would be decided by the
future life would be decided by the sacrifice of a chicken the sacrificed
sacrifice of a chicken the sacrificed
sacrifice of a chicken the sacrificed chicken died with its legs pointing down
chicken died with its legs pointing down
chicken died with its legs pointing down rather than up a verdict as clear as
rather than up a verdict as clear as
rather than up a verdict as clear as that of any jury in the West Sanka was
that of any jury in the West Sanka was
that of any jury in the West Sanka was guilty Csonka has been banished to nani
guilty Csonka has been banished to nani
guilty Csonka has been banished to nani rather than killed because it’s believed
rather than killed because it’s believed
rather than killed because it’s believed that witches can’t control their own
that witches can’t control their own
that witches can’t control their own actions but in order to be accepted in
actions but in order to be accepted in
actions but in order to be accepted in the witch village Sokka must undergo a
the witch village Sokka must undergo a
the witch village Sokka must undergo a ritual that will purify her
ritual that will purify her
ritual that will purify her evil spirits she’s looking forward to it
evil spirits she’s looking forward to it
evil spirits she’s looking forward to it witchcraft holds such sway here that
witchcraft holds such sway here that
witchcraft holds such sway here that even Santa has come to believe she was
even Santa has come to believe she was
even Santa has come to believe she was possessed by evil powers the next day
possessed by evil powers the next day
possessed by evil powers the next day the entire village gathers for Csonka
the entire village gathers for Csonka
the entire village gathers for Csonka ceremony every one of them has passed
ceremony every one of them has passed
ceremony every one of them has passed through with themselves
through with themselves
through with themselves Santa presents the fetish priests with
Santa presents the fetish priests with
Santa presents the fetish priests with the items needed for offering money here
the items needed for offering money here
the items needed for offering money here it all is the priests assistant invokes
it all is the priests assistant invokes
it all is the priests assistant invokes the blessings of the ancestors and asks
the blessings of the ancestors and asks
the blessings of the ancestors and asks the spirits to do their work so this
the spirits to do their work so this
the spirits to do their work so this woman has come here to purify yourself
woman has come here to purify yourself
woman has come here to purify yourself take this vow and drive all her problems
take this vow and drive all her problems
take this vow and drive all her problems away from her the chicken died on its
away from her the chicken died on its
away from her the chicken died on its back the sign that song cos purification
back the sign that song cos purification
back the sign that song cos purification has been accepted by the spirit
has been accepted by the spirit
has been accepted by the spirit today I’ve taken the fetish potion I am
today I’ve taken the fetish potion I am
today I’ve taken the fetish potion I am no longer a witch
nothing will worry me again I will sleep
nothing will worry me again I will sleep in my room soundly I am no longer a
in my room soundly I am no longer a
in my room soundly I am no longer a witch
witch
witch but while no longer a witch Csonka can
but while no longer a witch Csonka can
but while no longer a witch Csonka can never leave she will always be a member
never leave she will always be a member
never leave she will always be a member of the community of outcasts
”
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