Sorcery In 2006 !

[cdiver2]

Taken from a PNG news letter


** Sorcery **

It has been reported that entire villages in the Bundi area of Madang are turning on alleged sorcerers, killing them, and in some cases, chopping up their bodies into pieces. The Post Courier has reported that at least six people, including a mother-of four, have fallen victims to what has been described as "mob killings" as the attackers were large groups of people targeting individuals suspected of practicing sorcery.

 

[PhillyDiver86]

That's... awful. Goes to show that history certainly does repeat itself (Salem Witch Hunts, McCarthyism to a lesser degree).

 

[Green_Manelishi]

That's... awful. Goes to show that history certainly does repeat itself (Salem Witch Hunts, McCarthyism to a lesser degree).

What is happening there is hardly similar to Salem or "McCarthyism".

That happened in (an isolated area) of Papua New Guinea where paganism, sorcery and all manner of bizarre behavior rule peoples lives. It will be interesting to see what "bad effect" western civilization has on their culture.

 

[PhillyDiver86]

What is happening there is hardly similar to Salem or "McCarthyism".

That happened in (an isolated area) of Papua New Guinea where paganism, sorcery and all manner of bizarre behavior rule peoples lives. It will be interesting to see what "bad effect" western civilization has on their culture.

From the original post: "The Post Courier has reported that at least six people, including a mother-of four, have fallen victims to what has been described as "mob killings" as the attackers were large groups of people targeting individuals suspected of practicing sorcery."

Change the word "sorcery" in the last sentence to "witchcraft" and it would seem to me a near identical retelling of the type of behavior that occurred in late 17th century Salem. I am admittedly unfamiliar with the PNG area and the news coming out of it, so maybe you can help me understand some of the points you mention. For example, you say that sorcery, etc rule people's lives. I wasn't aware that sorcery was any less of a mythical practice than witchcraft -- like swapping Harry Potter for the Wicked Witch of the West. And about the "bad effect" comment, I'm assuming that was meant to be facetious. Haha because to me it doesn't get much worse than running around and chopping accused sorcerers into little bits.

 

[RikRaeder]

Sorcery is simply considered to be the use of supernatural forces to effect the everyday world. In and of itself it has generally not been considered an evil practice by most cultures. Malficium, a subclass of classical sorcery is the use of sorcery to harm others.

Witchcraft is a designation by the Catholic church to condemn heretical practices and includes five requirements two of which are worshiping and signing a pact with Satan.

I'd imagine that to the pagans (non-Christians) in New Guinea, magic (sorcery) is indeed a daily part of their lives, both for good and for ill. In Salem (and earlier Germany, France and England), any use of magic was equated with witchcraft (ie: Satanic worship) which was a heretical and therefore evil practice. A bit different situation, I'd say.

If the people in New Guinea are turning against sorcerors, they are turning against a previously accepted (albeit usually low-status), and integral part of their society. I'm admittedly not an expert on their culture, but most pagan, dare I say animist cultures follow at least these basic generalizations (re: sorcerors, kahuna, shaman, etc).

 

[Cacia]

interesting! I heard some say they lock you up in your hotel at night...

 

[Green_Manelishi]

From the original post: "The Post Courier has reported that at least six people, including a mother-of four, have fallen victims to what has been described as "mob killings" as the attackers were large groups of people targeting individuals suspected of practicing sorcery."

Change the word "sorcery" in the last sentence to "witchcraft" and it would seem to me a near identical retelling of the type of behavior that occurred in late 17th century Salem. I am admittedly unfamiliar with the PNG area and the news coming out of it, so maybe you can help me understand some of the points you mention. For example, you say that sorcery, etc rule people's lives. I wasn't aware that sorcery was any less of a mythical practice than witchcraft -- like swapping Harry Potter for the Wicked Witch of the West. And about the "bad effect" comment, I'm assuming that was meant to be facetious. Haha because to me it doesn't get much worse than running around and chopping accused sorcerers into little bits.

Somewhat facetious.

Regretably not every meeting between western culture and others has gone well. Too frequently disasters occur due to not understanding the culture and/or assuming "they think like us". However, if not for western civilization many other cultures would still be living frozen in time, hunting heads, etc.