Musawo Muganda

Footage from our field trip to Budo last week. The film was shot by Esther. This is one of the more humorous moments of our meeting with the traditional healer when he discusses what he can do for lonely souls. Musawo Muganda literally means Bugandan doctor in Luganda, but is used to describe any traditional healer/ witch doctor who is not a trained Musawo Muzungu (literally white person doctor, or doctor of western-based medicine). Musawo Mugandas have been getting some very bad press lately because of increasing incidents of child sacrifice. As unbelievable as it sounds, and I even feel somewhat embarrassed talking about it, a number of Ugandans aspiring to great wealth have gone to such lengths as to pay a Musawo Muganda to sacrifice a strangers child with the belief that it will bring good luck. Mrs. M. explained to me that the witch doctors require that children must have unblemished skin for their rituals, so now lots of parents are having their kids' ears pierced at a very young age. Once the kids are found to have imperfect skin, they are usually released unharmed. The reports of child sacrifice in the newspapers were part of the impetus for our meeting with this Musawo Muganda.