Spirits' Gold

The Sacrifice

The SacrificeThe project was going to be large and disruptive and we knew the Spirits would not be pleased. Cutting the trees in the forest would upset them enough but at least they would grow back. What we didn't know was how they would react to having their gold stolen. Mined, processed and shipped out of the country for good. So, a sacrifice on a large scale would be required to appease them. And, of course, the mining company would pay for it all. My father and the Elders worked on the list of things they felt would make the Spirits happy. When they agreed that enough was included to placate those whose resting place would be disturbed, the list was presented to the company. The company's protests couldn't deny the logic that if the Spirits were not happy, there was no way they would let the project go ahead. Nothing good can come from cutting corners on a sacrifice. Especially when someone else is paying for it.

Preparations were made. The list included the equivalent of a few hundred eggs, two dozen chickens, six goats, and a cow as well as six cases of Malawi gin. We supplied the livestock and the company paid us a good price. They bought our eggs, chickens and goats as well as those of our neighbors. And it could be expected that our benevolent Spirits would be happy to share what was left over with us.

Most people in our village proclaimed to be Christians but they also followed their traditional religion which worshipped the Spirits of our ancestors and the animals of the forest. Our local priest wasn't that thrilled about the event but there was nothing he could do. They say that his predecessor died at the hands of the Spirits, so he wouldn't want to get on their bad side. Apparently, he died of blood poisoning because of cuts inflicted while cleaning his teeth with a razor blade. It seems the Spirits bumped his elbow in retaliation for something he did or said.

Almost everyone from our village as well as visitors from the nearby communities came to the site of the proposed mine to watch and participate in the sacrifice. We waited in the shade of the huge trees surrounding a clearing in the forest that was to host the activities. My father and the Elders wore their traditional dress. The robes, spears and masks were colorful, and the drumming and chanting set the mood of anticipation and excitement.

Anyone who has ever been to an Anyi sacrifice will tell you how deeply involved the spectators become. The shouting and waving and cheering grows in intensity as the different levels of offerings are reached. The atmosphere is exhilarating.

The eggs were passed around, so everyone could take part in paying tribute to the Spirits. The goats and cow were tethered close to a circle of rocks on the ground. This was the area where the sacrifices were to be made. The word was given, and everyone took turns throwing their eggs on the ground in the circle and chanting offerings to the Spirits, often directed toward deceased family members. The crowd would shout and cheer in support of the offerings.

Once the eggs had all been broken, the crowd's attention turned to the chickens. This was the highlight of the day because it involved the most action. The chickens were taken from a pen to the sacrifice ring, one-by-one, to have their heads chopped off by a machete wielding Elder. This caused the crowd to go wild because the headless chickens were released to run through the crowd. Those fortunate enough to be spattered by blood from a headless chicken were blessed. The process was repeated twenty-four times and it turned into quite a frenzy. As the chickens finally died, they were collected and returned to the ring.

I won't go into the details of the passing of the goats and finally the cow. The carcasses, along with the gin, were left in the waning daylight for the Spirits as the spectators returned to their homes. But when the sun rose the next morning, there were no remains to be found. Suffice it to say that whatever the Spirits didn't carry off into the forest, the locals took care of. The people of the village ate well for the next several days. And my father and the elders got a nice change from their rice wine.