WITCH HUNTING! In Ghana, The Konkomba People Go As Far As Burning Witches To Death

The Konkomba are an ethnic group who resides in Northern Ghana, on the border with Togo, they are a population of farmers who are able to make the most out of the land available to them.

For the Konkomba life is marked by a set of rituals and ceremonies, that are an integral part of tribal life and are considered fundamental for survival.

The Konkomba do not have a clear distinction between the sacred and the profane, between spiritual and material and between body and soul; religion is present in every expression of people’s lives, from work to food, from wars to rest.

The Konkomba believe in the world of spirits and fetishes, that are the representation of the various spirits; these fetishes are impersonated by mountains, trees, rocks or some man-made artificial objects, no one in the Konkomba society can not be a believer.

The Konkomba also believe in the totems, usually impersonated by animals, that represent the clans and that are considered sacred.

Above the spirits the Konkomba believe that there is Uwumbor, the supreme being and creator of the world and the cosmos, the soul comes from the creator and returns to him after death; they also believe in the existence of Kininbon, the lord of all evil spirits.

For the Konkomba witchcraft plays a crucial role, they believe that through magic rituals some people are able to cause illness and death to their rivals.

People accused of witchcraft risk serious repercussions that can get to lynching and death; these powers are feared and often these beliefs give relevance and amplify some random events, giving them magical aspects.

There is also a village, called the village of witches, where people accused of witchcraft, and rejected by society, find a safe place to live, protected by a powerful feticheur.

In some cases, the alleged witches or sorcerers undergo a real trial to understand if they are guilty or innocent.