An interview with a local Dinka man about some magic items.

Abraham on Court Coin

*Jeff and Abraham finish laughing about something*

(Abraham) When there is something not ok I’m suppose to tell you.

(Jeff) That’s right, your suppose to tell me. Umm tell me about the magic powers, like you said the spear or the coin can do those things, but their magic powers not of God.

(Abraham) Yeah…

(Jeff) What are they from then? What powers are they from?

(Abraham) That power they use is the power from Satan.

(Jeff) Satan.

(Abraham) Yeah, Satan gave them all these powers to do. All the Chief, many of them, they use to go to other witchdoctors to give them the powers. Even (Chief Edon?) there are other people like that one who met with (Madeen?) 

(Jeff) Madeen, he’s (Trigeeth?)

(Abraham) Yeah (Bartellbeeth’s?)…   

(Jeff) yeah

(Abraham) When is night time is right time for them to start going to –

(Jeff) yeah yes its early evening.

(Abraham) -those people. While it is dark, the person when you enter this house there is a special house, they use their magic they put something like (hide them?), hide of dung. They put it in a small gall like this… and they make something. When you go into the house they (saknife?) that hide them on your left,  they then on this side put it there

(Jeff) on your throat, right.

(Abraham) yeah.  They say that when you say something or even your word is not true they’ll… the judge will listen very careful and they will obey what you say. If you say something that is not true they will obey what you say.

(Jeff) They’ll still believe it.

(Abraham) Yeah they’ll still believe you. That time, also, the chief who went to those people, nighttime, when they need a force of being a chief they go and looking for magic by themselves. They are not the right people they have a lot of magic, they went to the witchdoctors and bring these to give them, idol worshipers, to give them powers to protect themselves from their enemy.

(Jeff) And do they get the power?

(Abraham) According what they said they believe they get the power from other people.

(Jeff) I’m asking what, if you think they get the power?

(Abraham) I, myself?

(Jeff) yeah.

(Abraham) I… If I believe… I believe that power is not God powers, Satan.

(Jeff) So they get power, but its from Satan. 

(Abraham) From Satan not God.

(Jeff) I understand.

END