Silencing Women: From Ancient Witch Hunts to Modern Bullying and Envy

I dedicate this article to my sister and friend Nneka, I am grateful to know you and that you exist in this era.😍❤😍❤

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There is a story of a woman who always removed the legs and wings of the chicken before cooking, despite her husband enjoying them. When asked why, she explained that her mother had always prepared chicken that way. When her husband asked her mother, she gave the same response, attributing the practice to something she always saw her mother do. The man then asked his wife’s grandmother; she explained it was because she had only small pots and wanted to prioritize the parts of the chicken her husband liked. 

There lay the problem; this unconscious bequeathing of a cooking tradition had shaped two generations of women. The lesson learned is that without historical context, we may carry on with traditions and cultures that no longer serve us.

As a child, I was bold, confident, and unafraid to speak up for myself and others. However, one incident in which I confronted a predator who had touched me inappropriately led to a series of criticisms from older people who told me to be quieter and more ladylike. This and many other similar factors caused me to lose confidence and become anxious about speaking up.

Reflecting on why women have been silenced in public spaces for generations, I remember learning through conversations with friends that in pre-colonial and colonial eras, women were often persecuted and killed for practising witchcraft, even if they were simply sharing controversial ideas. As a result, mothers began to silence their daughters in an effort to protect them from these accusations. 

This discovery piqued my interest and led me to research this claim, to help me better understand why this happens and within what historical and cultural context it was allowed. 

The Persecution of Witchcraft

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The history of witchcraft accusations and persecution in Africa is complex and diverse, making it challenging to provide a definitive timeline or evidence. Accusations of witchcraft have been used in various African societies to control women who do not conform to traditional gender roles or threaten established social norms. These accusations are often based on superstition, rumours, or hearsay, rather than concrete evidence. 

My research suggests that while this practice dates back to precolonial Africa, it became more widespread during the colonial era when European missionaries and colonizers condemned local spiritual practices as “primitive” or “savage.” This resulted in an increase in witch hunts, with many women being accused of practising witchcraft and subjected to torture, imprisonment, and execution.

Interestingly, the persecution of witches is a global phenomenon, with examples found in both Europe and Africa. In Europe, the peak of witch-hunting occurred between the 15th and 17th centuries, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, predominantly women. 

One of the most infamous examples is the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, which took place in the late 17th century. The Malleus Maleficarum, a medieval treatise on witchcraft, played a significant role in legitimizing the persecution of women in Europe during this period. 

While no accurate estimates have been gathered, it is suggested that between 75% and 85% of those accused and executed were women ( Brian Levack’s “The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe,” 1987). 

Although the Malleus Maleficarum and the Salem Witch Trials did not directly involve witchcraft accusations in Africa, they demonstrate how witch-hunting was a global phenomenon, and how religious and cultural beliefs have been used to justify violence against women. 

Despite the fact that witch-hunting has decreased in many parts of the world, there are still reports of witchcraft accusations in some African communities. These accusations are more prevalent in areas where poverty, conflict, and social instability exist. 

Nigeria, for example, has seen high-profile cases of witchcraft accusations against children, leading to their abuse, abandonment, and even murder. Meanwhile, in Tanzania, the government has launched a campaign against witchcraft that has resulted in the arrest and detention of hundreds of people accused of practising witchcraft. 

Overall, the history of witchcraft accusations and persecution in Africa is multifaceted and complex, but it is clear that women have been the primary targets, often being demonized and controlled to maintain the existing social order.

The Suppression of Women’s Abilities and Intelligence and Accusations of Witchcraft

It is worth noting that in certain cultural, historical, and social contexts in Africa, men were also targeted as witches, although women made up the majority of those persecuted due to the prevailing societal beliefs about gender roles. 

For instance, in the late 19th century, in Uganda, there was a case of a man named Isaza, who was accused of using witchcraft to cause the death of a local chief. Isaza was put on trial and sentenced to death, although the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. In some parts of Tanzania, men have also been accused of witchcraft and subjected to violent attacks. 

While in this example there is a case of death, for most women, things like miscarriages, infertility, disability, beauty, and even age can all be attributed to witchcraft thereby leading to persecution and sometimes murder. 

Moving on we find a strong connection between the suppression of women’s abilities and intelligence and the historical persecution of women as witches. The belief that women were inherently weaker and more susceptible to temptation and evil influences was a key factor in the widespread persecution of women accused of witchcraft throughout history. 

In many societies, women were denied access to education, political power, and economic opportunities, which left them vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft if they displayed any signs of intelligence or independence. Women who demonstrated knowledge of herbal remedies, for example, were often accused of using their knowledge for evil purposes, such as creating love potions or casting spells. 

Similarly, women who defied gender norms by being too outspoken or sexually active, were typically targeted as witches, as their behaviour was seen as threatening to the established social order. The persecution of women as witches was thus a way for patriarchal societies to maintain control over women’s behaviour and suppress their agency and independence.

We find evidence of this in Isawa Elaigwu’s “Witchcraft and Sorcery in African Traditional Religion,” (2016) which highlights how women’s sexuality, fertility, and age were all used as evidence to persecute them for witchcraft. 

Historian Anne Llewellyn Barstow in her book “Witchcraze: A New History of European Witch Hunts” (1994) argued that the witch hunts of early modern Europe were part of a larger effort to control and suppress women’s agency and independence. More recent research has also highlighted the connection between witchcraft accusations and broader social and economic inequalities. 

For example, a study of witchcraft accusations in contemporary Ghana found that women who were economically independent and had higher levels of education were less likely to be accused of witchcraft (Jemima A. Anderson and Melissa Fisher’s “Gender, Witchcraft, and Accusations in Ghana,” 2016). 

The Silencing of Women as Protection

Based on the evidence available, there may be a connection between the silencing of women in African societies and the witch hunts that took place. 

Some scholars suggest that women may have used strategies such as asking their daughters to keep their intelligence or abilities hidden in public to protect them from harm or discrimination. This could have been motivated by the belief that women were responsible for protecting their children from harm and ensuring their success in life, as they were seen as the primary caretakers and educators of children. 

In some societies, women’s intelligence and abilities were viewed as sacred or powerful, and therefore needed to be kept hidden or protected from the outside world. For instance, in some traditional African religions, women were believed to have special spiritual powers and were seen as the guardians of ancestral wisdom and knowledge. As a result, protecting women’s abilities and knowledge from those who might misuse it could have been considered important. 

However, it is significant to acknowledge that these practices and beliefs varied across different cultures and historical periods, and therefore should be approached with a nuanced and culturally-sensitive perspective.

The Persecution of Modern Witches

The evidence presented suggests that the historical silencing of women in African societies may have originated from a time when women were punished for their intelligence and abilities. However, in the modern world where women are celebrated for their talents and skills, this cultural practice should no longer be acceptable. 

Alas, women continue to face persecution for challenging traditional beliefs and pursuing their desired paths. Women who speak out against abusive power or showcase their exceptional qualities are often subjected to bullying, envy, evil schemes, shaming, and forced into silence, sometimes even by other women.

So, to all my exceptional, brilliant, bold, and unapologetic women, hold your heads up high and exist in your so-called defiance. Live your truth and disrupt all that needs to be disrupted. After all, there may have been a “witch or two in their lineage :).”  

Let’s toast 🥂🍻 to living wholly, intentionally, and unapologetically.