SORCERY STILL THRIVING

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1936, Page 4

SORCERY STILL THRIVING

That witchcraft is still practised today was made clear at a conference at Louvain of 300 missionaries who met specially to study the problem. Revenge is one motive for the murders, but in most cases they kill under the influence of a sorcerer’s spell.

Remarkable stories were told of charms, amulets, spells, evil eyes, potions, cauldrons and satanism.

In spite of the efforts of Europeans, said the Rev. Don Maur Peleman, two kinds of sorcerers still exercise great power in North Transvaal.

The “Muloi,” or night sorcerer, casts spells on enemies, “heals” stricken herds, and ends droughts. The “Valvi” spends all his time in practising black magic. “Counter-sor-cerers” use withcraft to protect the inhabitants against the spells of the “Mulois” and the “Valvis.”

The most cruel form of sorcery is found among the Bantu population of the Province of Stanleyville, in Belgian Congo, said Professor Moeller, honorary Vice-Governor of Congo, dealing with “The Aniotos,” or Leo-pard-Men. Covered with leopard skins and armed with long, sharp steel nails like leopard’s claws, the Aniotos creep at night upon their victims and kill them while they sleep. Despite the efforts of the Belgian authorities, including mass hangings, to uproot the sect the activities of the Leopard-Men have increased in recent years.