Black Dog, Misty Mountain

Some mornings it looks like there is mist on the mountains.  Well, not really mountains so much, more like a long ridgeline.  And not really mist - just dust and dirt that fills the air, obscures the horizon and looks deceivingly like mist in the early morning sunrise.  But who would expect mist, anyway, when the humidity is 9%.   Either way, there is a bit of an eerie aura as the sun rises most days.

"Misty mountain" on a rather clear day

And while the day starts eerily, one wonders what may have happened during the night.  In traditional Hausa culture there are groups of people who have faith in devil possession.  Those who participate will tell you that they do so to “protect” the public and to assist in providing cures for many diseases.  Through this art of devil possession, they even claim to cure those that were incurable at the hospital.  

"Ambulance" at the rear of the hospital...

and leaving again.

Without going into too many specifics (although specifics can be found in a book entitled “Hausa Customs” by Madauci, Isa, and Daura and published in Zaria, Nigeria) let us just say that the initiate, a drummer, a chicken (and its blood), the roots of 99 different trees (boiled in a large pot), and two coarse grass mats, among other things, are involved in the initiation process.  

The devils are claimed to have some attributes similar to humans, such as being parents and children of one another.  Each is addressed by it’s title and is asked if it intends to stay and “possess” the subject or to “pass on.”

The initiation ceremony may last for a week or more and involves a bizarre series of rituals and events (including the gathering of seven different kinds of chickens, all of which will be slaughtered at the base of a tamarind tree).  Near the conclusion of the ceremony, all who are present kneel before the tamarind tree and pray that their wishes will be granted by the devils.

Additionally, there is a belief that an animal which is completely black is useful for the transfer of a curse.  Any small amount of white coloration would render the animal useless for this purpose.  But a completely black animal can be sold to the local practitioner of curses for a good price (a black dog, however, may be given to the practitioner for no cost as a dog is considered to be of little value).  Someone can then pay the practitioner to put a curse on another person and the black animal is employed to carry the curse to the intended victim.

Camels around the well

Boys riding home from the well

 

Why discuss such practices on a blog post- are they even relevant to us?  There are dimensions to the spiritual world of which many of us are unaware and ill-prepared to confront.  Jesus and his disciples often confronted the spirit world in a way that seems unfamiliar to us today (and His disciples sometimes weren’t quite prepared to deal with what they found!)  (Mark 9:14-29)  But as Jesus was leaving His disciples and giving them His final command, He said that those who believe in Him would be able to confront these things (Mark 16:15-18).

How incredibly blessed we are to have been shown the Truth, the One true way to God, Jesus Christ.  He expects no ritual of us, but just that we trust Him with our lives.  And when we trust Him to do what He promises to do - forgive all our sins, never forsake us, intercede on our behalf - He fills us with the Holy Spirit.  And His Spirit gives us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  No chicken blood required, no fear of black cats.  Praise God!

An Abyssinian roller - one of God's beautiful creatures!