Superstition: Africa’s Scarecrow

Like a caricature or mannequin he stands hunched. He looks down at the dawn’s rising sun that mirrors the pond at the eastside of downtown Ashong Valley. She’s tucked deep in the valley surrounded by the rivers and rivulets that shine light upon her beauty and allure.

The sound of the Greyhound echoes beyond the walls. They’re walls of superstitions: The walls that stand between science and myth, religion and agnostics, tradition and modernity, facts and rumours. They’re rumours of war, rumours of tragedy. They’re walls that evoke calamity, walls that scare humanity, walls that drive investors away and stifle progress.

The indigenes are scared away like sparrows and crows. Fore finger firmly placed on mouth to remain mute—signifying they’re on a sacred place. Be silent. Absolute silent is required. You can’t do this here you can’t do that!

They’ve their own interpretation about the sun, the moon and the stars. The Heavens and the Earth exude powers beyond their comprehension. Amid the apprehensions, they pay homage, libation is poured, sacrifices and pacifications are ritually made. You can’t let go what the forebears had passed down. And the tradition goes on.

Did I mention the forefinger? Yes, the finger that has several names. It’s called index finger, pointer finger, trigger finger or the first finger. Among the Akans in Ghana one does not point his forefinger at the father’s house, according to folklore. It connotes disrespect and contempt. This practice or belief is still held among some section of the populace.

What is superstition?
This write-up will have a look at three dictionary definitions of the subject.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines superstition as a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance or a false conception of causation. For example it’s a superstition that the number 13 is unlucky. It’s also a common superstition that a black cat crossing one’s path signifies bad luck.

Oxford dictionary simply defines it as “unfounded belief, credulity”. It’s a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck or a practice based on such a belief.

Last but not least is the definition by Wikipedia. According to the online dictionary superstition is the belief in supernatural causality—that one event causes another without any natural process linking the two events—such as astrology and religions, like omens, witchcraft, and prophecies, that contradict natural science.

It further explains that the word superstition is generally used to refer to the religion not practiced by the majority of a given society regardless of whether the prevailing religion contains superstitions. It is also commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings, particularly the belief that future events can be foretold by specific unrelated prior events.

Indeed superstition is legendary, passed down from generation to generations. And to this day the myth has been perpetuated somehow in some places in our beloved continent and across the world. Centuries have seen the practice grow and glow. For instance it’s taboo to go to farm or fishing on certain days in Ghana. Taboo to sing in the nights. It’s taboo to pound fufu in the twilights ---all amounts to abomination, curse and disaster.

The consequence, you may lose your mother or relation. Lands are left to fallow. Lands earmarked for development—schools and colleges, hospitals and clinics, roads and bridges industrial parks and amusement centres etc. But for modernity and civilisation most parts of the world today, would still be living in darkness.

Opposition to Superstition
Records have it that ancient Greece was the first place where superstition was challenged. The opposition was ably put up by Philosophers such as Protagoras and the Epicureans. Pluto is said to be one of the early fighters who showed his aversion to religion and myths. His work Allegory of the Cave played a leading role disproving superstitions. Also, history has it that philosophers--Pluto and Aristotle both present their work as parts of a search for truth.

Historians say in the classical era, the existence of gods was keenly debated both among philosophers and theologians. And consequent upon that opposition to superstition emerged. And this would in effect change the dynamics of superstitious belief. The Middle Age period saw the idea of God’s influence on the world’s events mostly undisputed.

According to records the rediscovery of lost classical works (The Renaissance) and scientific advancement led to a steadily increasing disbelief in religions. This led to studies of biblical exegesis, pioneered by Spinoza and to a more skeptical view about superstition.

But that couldn’t purge superstition from our social-cultural milieu. Enough to say, despite technological advancement, the 21^st century Man seems to be married to superstition. It isn’t as deadly as Slave Trade, not as dangerous as colonialism or imperialism, yet like a scarecrow superstition has somewhat put impediments into Africa’s progress or forward march, probably more than any country across the globe.

Mr. Kwamina Dadzie, a respondent writes: “A certain day is taboo to go to farm on Tuesdays because it’s believed to be the day of the Earth Goddess ‘Asaase Yaa’. When this taboo is broken there can be calamities in the community. This applies to fishing communities too, but that one is not linked to the earth goddess but a sea god.”

Another of such superstitious beliefs is ancestral worship, he says.

“Ancestral worship which is based on the belief in life after death. In Ghana, especially among the Akans and other ethnic groupings it’s believed that life doesn’t end at death but continues in another world as elaborate funeral practices are held to usher the dead to the next world. Messages are sent and gifts are placed in the coffin. It’s believed that those who lived good and exemplary lives are believed to watch over the living and protect them and so forth. So prayers are offered to them through pouring libation. Also, there should be no whistling in the nights.”

Peoples have hated the idea of being free, free from the chains of superstitions. They hate the idea of bringing development and progress. You can’t touch them, they’re simply untouchable. And their names aren’t supposed to be mentioned, they’re purely unmentionable.

Yes, the indigenes fear them. A smell of them gives one a sense of palpitations, a taste of them sends one away at the throes of calamity and a sight of them smacks evil or phantom. If they aren’t’ evil s then they’re obviously saints, the saints of our gods. And if they’re not dangerous then they’re courageous.

Dr. Dan Koroma a Sierra Leonean based in United States shares his native country’s belief in the power of what he calls the ‘Witch Gun.’

“The belief in the power of the witch gun to kill people …it’s a very popular belief in Sierra Leon,” he states.

Dr. Koroma argues that this belief has to be viewed in the context of the lack or the non-existence of the white man’s gun in addition to probably the cost of owning one including all the legal minutiae involved. “So it makes sense they would argue, to hire Juju man to do the dirty job.”

But superstition (s) isn’t a thing of African. In other words it’s not peculiar to Africa. Across Europe, the Far East, North and South America, the Oceania and the Middle East peoples’ belief in superstitions vary.

Madam Michelle Tillman an American has this to say: “For example knock on wood when you say something presumptuous so it doesn’t happen. Also saying bless you when someone sneezes is said to ward evil spirits. And don’t walk under a ladder (common sense) because it forms a triangle representing the trinity and if you walk under it you’re in essence breaking the trinity and that’s bad.”

Why do people still believe in these? Here’s Michelle’s response: ‘It’s probably because it’s been passed down from generation to generations, however, I don’t know why others feel or think the way they do.’

For example the Germans have this superstitious belief: Do not answer a witch's question, or else she can take something from you. It is not good if one goes out in the morning and encounters an old woman. And another interesting one--he who walks between two old women early in the morning shall have only bad luck the rest of the day.

This is a belief shared by the English too. On the eve of St. Valentine's Day it is an old custom to pin bay leaves to your pillow, one at each corner and one in the middle. You will then dream of your future lover, or the man you are to marry. And it’s also believed that a woman may not draw water from any well for six weeks following the birth of her child, or the well will dry up for seven years. If a dog runs between a woman's legs, her husband will beat her.