Witchcraft or sorcery is an age-old practice from ancient times passed on through generations into the modern era. In Papua New Guinea, sorcery haunts almost everyone, from the powerful elite in Waigani to the hamlets in the remote areas of the country.In ancient Bible days, and throughout civilization, the belief in sorcery is real and those that possess such powers were respected and feared by the societies.The west cannot pretend that the practice has faded because it has taken on new forms under the labels of fortune telling, shaman and astrology.We also have our own versions like the “tumbuan culture” at Aromot Island in Siassi, the “sanguma meri” in Chimbu, the “Kaisoho” in Miline Bay, the “sut man” of Kubalia in the East Sepik, the “kukurais” of Madang and the “vada” in Central province.Any unexplained death, or an illness without proper medical explanation, and sudden deaths from heart attack can be blamed on sorcery and witchcraft.People are also accused of using witchcraft to gain employment, win favors, attract women, advance in sports and education.Recently in the Nawaeb District, six men were arrested and charged by police for practicing sorcery and witchcraft.One of them, Wawaringna Hanim of Gain village in the Erap-Wain Local Level Government council admitted that he was responsible for three deaths.However, the Lae District Court Magistrate, Posain Poloh struck out the case and others related to cargo-cult in the area because the facts surrounding the issues was considered vague or outdated.Because it is hard to prove these cases through the legal justice system, many areas of the country have resorted to local justice, and that is payback.In many parts of Papua New Guinea, people suspected of practicing the dark powers have been subjected to painful harassment and death through local justice, and the community accepts the verdict.When I interviewed Mr Hanim, he admitted being responsible for the death of three men in his area.“Mi kilim tripela man pinis na igat sampela istap yet em mi bin ting long poisinim,” (I have already killed three people and there are others on the list that I have planned to poison). Proving guilt in sorcery case will remain a problem in the country because of the issues of material evidence and eyewitnesses.

The case of Hanim and Nawaeb District experience remains an unsolved mystery even against his admission of guilt.Sorcery involves supernatural powers and while the physical world cannot deliberate on that which is done in secrecy, it will continue to hunt and haunt many Papua New Guineans.The issue cannot be interpreted by the Western law which, is based on hard evidence to be produced against a cultural belief that sorcery was used to commit a crime.And the mystery remains and will continue to test the law of the land because people believe that it cannot solve sorcery.Like sorcery, cargo-cult is a developmental issue which also involves supernatural powers to the extreme of brainwashing people.While the rich and the powerful have access to much material wealth and service, the have nots seek the same.

View: Full Article | Source: The National

witchcraft is one of my favorite things to do...but i think the name should be changed to "dimensional manipulation" or "universal manipulation"....its something everyone can do, but just like being psychic, some are better at manipulating the physical plane than others..

pffft.. if this crap was real then someone would have taken over the world by now -.-'

to the degree for which one can aquire such powers is based upon there ethics and vibration so to speak. Further, all paths which lead to these aquired abilities are also purifying. Great feats are accomplished only by those who are aligned with the will of god, which ofcourse is the source of power.

Wow, everyone has left a very different comment here expressing their opinions. I am not sure how much I can believe in the existence of witchcraft, but if it does work, I think it is probably related to evil ways of gaining power.

I know this girl who used to go on about spells and jumps off a high building believing that she could fly after she was given a book by a 'witch' which is written in russian as the girl was russian. I think the way she practiced her spells freaked a few girls out and a group of people decided to take the book off her, afterwards this russian girl was searching for the book like people do when they are drug addicts and needs their drugs. To this day, I am still unsure about what to make of that girl. Maybe reading the story sounds like a load of rubbish but it is a different story seeing it happen and you are a little taken back because that girl looked like a mental patient losing scontrol but she is alrite now tho as this incident was from a few years back.

I have read this story before, and wonder why it is being posted now on this site.
The people of PNG (Papua New Guinea) are still adapting to modern civilization, they were mainly thrown into the conflict in WWII when Japan made it to PNG, and the Aussie soldiers had to do a campaign to stop the Japanese from reaching Australia on the Kakoda Trail. They did stop them, and the fuzzy wuzzies (PNG locals) did a big part in their victory.
After WWII PNG was mainly used for shipping stops, and natural resources. The people are still very primitive in nature, so their beliefs are still primitive in thinking, of course anything that is out of nature is a supernatural event. I believe that autopsies of recently deceased people in PNG are not done. So as they have said in this article the death is by an unknown heartattack these can be explained by the use of poisons as it is said. The so called sorcerers are more a herbalist I believe, and have the knowledge of poisonous plants in the their enviroment. The mixing of a few different herbal tea's should do the trick.

i dont like the name wich craft or sourcry because it sounds evil cant there be a new name?

Is there a name that sounds more evil than wichtcraft,its Bentus XVI

The Church manipulated the image of people that practice Wichtcraft,making to toward people see it as to belong to evil and that is wrong.
How many the Church killed because of witchcraft?? so who was the evil??

I think that supernatural powers might be supernatural speed and strength. BTW? Are you guys born with the power of invisablity?

The reason you don't like the name of witch craft and sorcery, is because of Hollywood and the Church, and there obsession of making good people evil. Lets say a Wiccan ran down the street to catch up with a man who lost his wallet, he happened to be a Christian, and he just so happened to have a heart attack the instant she caught up with him to give him is wallet he dropped. Well the next day it was in the paper, and the head line instead of being "a Wiccan woman doing a good deed, and unfortunate death to occur" It would probably be something like this
"Witch casts a spell over a man, and he has a heart attack and DIES!"

Because of bad publicity, of the Church and Hollywood, people will assume that the woman caused a bad event to occur, not even taking notice that the woman was giving a man his wallet.

*Also for changing the name of witch craft- there so many branches of paganism, its sometimes easier to call ones self a witch- and the Craft relates to ones religious thought and practices.

-thank you and good night*bow*

I have met many people ove the years who have claimed to be able to perform real magic etc. The only people I have ever seen that can perform amzing magic tricks that appear real and unexplainable is the Indian rope trick. when I was there and seen this performed and the rope rising out of basket it was truly amazing. Even researchers who professionally debunk such things are at a loss to explain how it's done. (you can pass your hand over top and no i never felt any strings)

When it comes to Witchcraft and sorcery I am inclined to say that back in the old days it was all because of what they put in their potions for example the main ingredients in many of the old spells and potions included Opium, Cannabis, Mushrooms, Ergot fungus etc.

During the Salem witch hunts their crops were infested with Ergot and it cause their grains to be a red color. When they ate the breads made with the grain the hallucinated. They of course thought it was a curse put on them by witches. But it turned out they killed many innocent people.

and how do you 'do' it rane? Be interested to hear of your experiences with witchcraft...