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Friday, March 29, 2013

This One Time At Witch Camp

It's back to the Journeyman Pictures well today, where we get a report from back in 2011 about a phenomenon unique to Ghana: witch camps. It's credited to the Southern Society Youth and Women's Empowerment Network, based out of Accra.

What's a witch camp? You know Salem, Massachusetts' old witch trials? Think of those and you've got the idea. Those accused of witchcraft are sometimes able to bolt out of town before the inevitable; they end up at witch camps. Witch camps are for all intents and purposes refugee camps for those accused of witchcraft, with the added note that even if they eventually declare you innocent (which can happen), you still have to live your life out there anyway in case someone back home begs to differ and decides to go after you.

For a more recent text equivalent, Kati Whitaker of the BBC has that for you from last August.


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