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 In
traditional Africa serious illness and death are not attributed to natural
causes, but to the actions of the ancestors or witches and thus evildoing
and social unrest. Whereas the ancestors could be reconciled through offering
ceremonies, the dreaded witches must be purged or made harmless.
Witches are the embodiment of all antisocial and offensive elements in
their most inhuman forms. Their main motives are envy, greed and wrath.
Even today witchcraft is present in Africa; moreover, in several countries
it is a capital offence and subject of higher courts of justice.
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Power figure
Vili, Congo Republic
19th century, acquisition from the Loango expedition, 1874
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