Witches, Westerners, and HIV: AIDS and Cultures of Blame in Africa

259 Pages·2006·1.35 MB·English

by  Alexander Rödlach

Witches,
Westerners,
and hiV

Witches,
Westerners,
and hiV
Alexander Rödlach
AIDS &
Cultures
of Blame
in Africa
Walnut Creek, CA
LEFT COAST PRESS, INC.
1630 North Main Street, #400
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Copyright © 2006 by Left Coast Press, Inc. (cid:7) (cid:10)
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Rödlach, Alexander.
Witches, Westerners, and HIV : AIDS and cultures of blame in Africa / Alexander Rödlach.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-59874-033-4 (hardback: alk. paper)—ISBN 1-59874-034-2 (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. Medical anthropology—Zimbabwe. 2. AIDS (Disease)—Zimbabwe—Public opinion.
3. HIV infections—Zimbabwe—Public opinion. 4. Conspiracies—Zimbabwe. 5. Witchcraft—
Zimbabwe. 6. Public opinion—Zimbabwe. 7. Zimbabwe—Social life and customs I. Title.
GN296.5.Z55R63 2006
306.4’61096891—dc22 2006019726
Printed in the United States of America
This paper is acid free and meets the minimum requirements of ANSI/NISCO Z39.48-1992 (R 1997)
(Permanence of Paper).
Cover: The two figures on the cover were carved by
the Zimbabwean artist, Mr. Sheunesu Shumba. The
left figure shows a man staring ahead squatting on
the ground, the head supported by arms resting on
the knees. He represents a Zimbabwean pondering
the dire conditions his country is facing, including
the AIDS epidemic, that make his and his contem-
poraries’ life so miserable. He asks himself why he has
to suffer so much. The figure on the right side shows
a man sitting on a drum trying to find answers to
the same startling question. He represents a tradi-
tional diviner calling the ancestors expecting them
to provide him with answers. The photos of the
carvings were taken by Heinz Helf.
Text design by Detta Pena
09 10 5 4 3
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
Part I The Cultural Life of HIV/AIDS 17
chapter 1 inestigating sorcery and conspiracy 19
chapter 2 hiV/AiDs as Personal experience 35
Part II HIV/AIDS and Sorcery 49
chapter 3 the sorcery Paradigm 51
chapter 4 A sorcerer’s serant-Being 73
chapter 5 infidelity and sorcery 87
Part III HIV/AIDS and Conspiracy 105
chapter 6 conspiracy Paradigms 107
chapter 7 conspiracy theories inoling healthcare Proiders 135
chapter 8 conspiracy theories inoling Westerners 141

Part IV The Implications of Culture 157
chapter 9 comparing theories of Blame 159
chapter 10 Applications for the AiDs crisis 175
Glossary 189
Bibliography 191
index 239
About the Author 247
Acknowledgments
There is a saying among the Zimbabwean Ndebele that “the ungrateful is
a witch” (ongabongiyo ngumthakathi). I am indebted to the many persons
who contributed to writing this book.
I owe special thanks to Gerald Murray and Russ Bernard for their
scholarly advice before, during, and after the preparation of my doctoral
dissertation in cultural anthropology, which served as the starting point
for this book. I thank the Center of African Studies and the Department of
Anthropology at the University of Florida for various grants and assistant-
ships, and the National Science Foundation and the Society of the Divine
Word for funding my field research.
I deeply appreciate the kindness and warmth of many Zimbabweans.
I gratefully acknowledge the help of Michael Bourdillon of the depart-
ment of sociology at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, and of Riitta
Dlodlo, then the director of health services of Bulawayo, for facilitating
the necessary Zimbabwean paperwork for conducting field research.
My gratitude goes to Roland Altmannsberger, Bruce Ehlers, Thadeusz
Grenda, Zbigniew Oldynski, Alphons Schoepf, Ben Strydom, Krystian
Traczyk, and the Presentation Sisters in Harare for solving logistical prob-
lems during my field research in Zimbabwe. During the fieldwork, my
ii
Acknowledgments
landlady Ursula Murray actively supported the study by searching the
Bulawayo libraries and archives. She did this together with another vol-
unteer, Val Deas, a retired school teacher. Josina Mpofu, who helped with
the household, was an excellent source of information; often I began to
comprehend certain issues after a chat with her. Especially in the early
days, the home-based caregivers in the township took me with them on
house calls, which enabled me to observe the impact of HIV/AIDS on the
patient and the family. Members of the Catholic parishes in Nkulumane
and Plumtree welcomed me “with both hands”—ngezandla zombili, as the
Ndebele say. Special thanks go to Mrs. Chuma, Monica Manenge, Fabian
Sibelo, and Mrs. Tshuma.
Crucial to the success of the study was working together with assis-
tants, particularly Bernadette Maphosa, Eddie Dzinda Ngoma, and Reu-
ben Alven Ngwenya. Saliwe Phiri, Sola Dube, Rachel Mukau, Elizabeth
Mutizwa, Onesimo Matsvaire, and Sithandokuhle Ndlovu spent many
hours administering the survey. During the first months of the study, a
group of baccalaureate students from the National University of Science
and Technology were involved in collecting data through methods from
cognitive anthropology: Mr. Banga, Mavis Chikwena, Tichaona Gapu,
Chiedza Makamure, A. Matayi, Albert Murwira, Thomas Mutswiti, Farai
Mutyasera, Cheneso Muvandi, Tsitsi Ndoro, H. V. Nyapokoto, Simbiso
Rukatya, Ronald Alfred Sithole, Chipo Takawira, Thembiso Tembani.
Jabulani Mthombeni and Kiaratiwa Sibelo spent much of their time me-
ticulously transcribing the taped interviews. Carmen Luphahla and Beau-
ty Nyathi were helpful in selecting knowledgeable informants.
I am indebted to my colleagues at the Anthropos Institute, who pro-
vided me with time and space to write this book, and to Jeanne Weisman-
tel, who did its first thorough editing. I also wish to thank Left Coast Press
for recognizing the significance of the original book proposal. Jennifer
Collier, their senior editor, has been a pleasant, thoughtful, and efficient
person with whom to work. My gratitude goes to Judy Johnstone, who
painstakingly edited the text, and to Detta Penna, who managed the pro-
duction process and designed the book.
e
iii
Acknowledgments
To all those who were mentioned and to the many others, I express my
sincere gratitude for their inspiration, motivation, and support.
Thank you!
Siyabonga!
Taboka!
Tinotenda!
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