ANTHROP 2R03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Witchcraft Accusations Against Children In Africa, Witch Doctor, System On A Chip

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTHROP 2R03
• Professor: Antonio Sorge

Document Summary

Meaning, it is a technology that can only be used by men. One of the things that can render the poison ineffective is if it comes into contact with women: can be used to see which one of a man"s wives is bewitching him. Polygamist soc men hold greater social power than women. Poison oracle can be used to reinforce the inequality btw the sexes. So men conduct the posion oracle to see which one of his wives is bewitching him, women don"t like this. Sometimes women would go into the forest and rip apart and bury the vine used for making the poison. They might also urinate on them to pollute them. Witchcraft accusations tend to follow strains in soc wife is obvious suspect. When is it warranted to consult the poison oracle: whenever significant misfortune strikes, or when people hope to anticipate the outcome of a major undertaking, such as a hunt or a long voyage.