In the autumn of 1997, I embarked on a two-month journey through West Africa, visiting Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Benin. A lasting memento of that trip is a five-part documentary series titled Through West Africa.
For now, it exists only in Polish and in its original, unprocessed form. But once I complete my book about adventures in Ivory Coast and Guinea, the series will be released in HD, with versions in both English and French.
Spiritual Reality in Everyday Life
In the traditional cosmology of the Senufo people, who inhabit the region of present-day Côte d’Ivoire, the spiritual world is not a separate realm—it permeates everyday reality, influencing health, fertility, harvests, family conflicts, and individual decisions. The foundation of religious life is built upon initiation rites, ancestor worship, secret societies, and ritual art, which materializes and mediates the relationship between the world of humans and spirits. However, alongside officially recognized and socially accepted forms of religiosity, there exists a sphere of taboo—dark, dangerous, marginalized, yet real: the world of black magic.
Defining Koni: The Nature of
Black Magic
Black magic, known in the Senufo language as koni, is not a
coherent belief system but encompasses a broad range of practices that oppose
the well-being of the community. In popular belief, witches—both men and
women—are thought to possess the ability to manipulate supernatural forces for
personal gain or revenge. They are credited with the power to cause illness,
infertility, agricultural disasters, and even death. They may also summon the
spirits of the dead, not to seek blessings, as is done in ancestor worship, but
to exploit their power for harmful, destructive, and sometimes deadly purposes.
Fear, Ambivalence, and Secrecy
Despite social condemnation, witches evoke ambivalent feelings in the
community—fear, resentment, and admiration all at once. Their practices are
shrouded in secrecy, difficult to detect, and often operate “in the shadow” of
official rituals. Knowledge of black magic is transmitted covertly, usually
within closed family lineages or informal groups, and exists outside the
educational and ritual systems represented by the Poro society—the main
initiatory and spiritual institution of the Senufo.
Diagnosis and Punishment
In times of misfortune—sudden death, illness, or the collapse of a
household—suspicion of witchcraft may fall on a community member. Direct
confrontations are rare. Instead, village elders, diviners, or members of the
Poro conduct divinatory rituals to identify the alleged perpetrator. If guilt
is confirmed, consequences can be severe: from purification rites to exile, or
even violent lynching by the community. Such responses, though brutal, are seen
not as acts of revenge but as exorcisms of evil from the social body.
The Moral Function of Fear
Paradoxically, black magic also serves an important normative function.
Although forbidden, it reinforces existing moral codes—the fear of its use acts
as a mechanism of social control. Avoiding conflict, exercising restraint,
forbidding envy, or obeying the elders are motivated not only by ethics but
also by fear of becoming a victim of sorcery. Magic, therefore, does not work against
the community as much as it becomes its “dark mirror.”
Iconography of Darkness: Art as
Protection
The realm of black magic is also reflected in Senufo ritual iconography
and art. Masks and sculptures used in initiation, funerary, or purification
ceremonies often depict deformed figures in trance, hybrid creatures combining
human, animal, and spirit traits—symbolic representations of supernatural
forces, including malevolent ones. Their function is not purely aesthetic: they
are apotropaic objects, intended to protect the community, homes, and ritual
participants from the influence of chaotic forces. Some sculptures and masks
are kept in sacred groves or in closed sanctuaries accessible only to initiated
members of the Poro.
Ritual Activation and Cosmic Healing
During purification rituals, these objects are “activated” through the
recitation of spells, blood offerings, and music. Their purpose is not only to
repel negative energy but also to restore disrupted cosmic and social harmony.
In this sense, Senufo art performs both therapeutic and spiritual functions—it
is a mediator between the sacred and the profane, a symbol of the tension
between order and chaos.
