Gambaga Witch camp

Gambaga withces camp
Still from a video by Yaba Badoe documenting the lives of inmates of Gambaga witches camp

Gambaga Witch camp is a segregated community within Gambaga township in the Northern Region of Ghana established in the 18th century to accommodate alleged witches and wizards who are banished from their communities.[1][2][3]

The camp has about 25 round huts, and holds about 100 women. No health services or indoor plumbing are available.[4]

Many women in Ghana's witch camps are widows and it is thought that relatives accused them of witchcraft in order to take control of their husbands' possessions.[5] Many women also are mentally ill, a little understood problem in Ghana.[5] In Gambaga, the women are given protection by the local chieftain and in return, pay him and work in his fields.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ de Trey-White, Simon (June 23, 2007). "The Witches of Gambaga: Belief in Witchcraft Is Still Widespread in Africa, and Being Accused of Its Practice Can Be a Death Sentence. and with Traditional Gender Roles Being Challenged, Such Accusations Are Becoming Increasingly Common. Simon De Trey-White Visits a Camp in Ghana That Has Housed 'Convicted' Witches for More Than 200 Years". Geographical. Retrieved 21 November 2014 – via HighBeam.(Subscription required.)
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Tim (11 January 1998). "A Prison Sometimes a Haven: Ghana's Witch Villages Only Safe Place for Women Accused of Casting Spells". Associated Press. Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO). Retrieved 21 November 2014 – via HighBeam.(Subscription required.)
  3. ↑ Djanie, Akua (January 1, 2013). "Africa for Halloween?". New African. Retrieved 21 November 2014 – via HighBeam.(Subscription required.)
  4. ↑ Npong, Francis (2014). "Witch Camps of Ghana". Utne Reader (Winter): 48–49. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Ghana witch camps: Widows' lives in exile". BBC. 1 September 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Ghana: the Witches of Gambaga". London: Yaba Badoe. 25 November 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2012.

External links

Coordinates: 10°31′50″N 0°26′32″W / 10.53056°N 0.44222°W / 10.53056; -0.44222


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