The name is absent

This Bambwela example, similar to purification in Kenya, shows a core evil
spirit, curse, affliction, or force that required spiritual cleansing in order for the
individual and community to move forward. These practices are evidence of fears
and beliefs culturally rooted and disseminated throughout their respective
societies. The Bambwela viewed the appearance of the “mankunamwa” as a
distinct evil energy that required immediate treatment. Otherwise, the society
would fall into misfortune.

Over time and with the spread and acceptance of Christianity, purification
ceremonies changed. The Bambwela purification process eliminated the killing of
the baby to adjust to Christianity and colonial laws that criminalized this behavior
as murder. By 1935, Vernon Brelsford noticed that instead of murdering the child,
the ceremony was transformed to engage in symbolic purification through the
use of pots. The pots were used to harbor the evil spirit. The spirit was carried
from pot to pot and eventually thrown out to the bush. The purification ended with
community feasts and abstinence from sex for the evening.

These induced colonial changes are significant on several levels. First of
all, it shows that despite colonialism, the Bambwela continued to believe in the
presence of evil forces in society. On the surface, it appeared that the practice
stopped because the baby killing ceased. However, a deeper analysis shows that
the value and belief in evil forces lingered and was simply modified. Second, the
Bambwela restructured the purification process to symbolically purge the
negative force allowing them to continue to have agency in protecting their

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