Witches Homes/Camps

These witches? settlements are located at Ngani in the Yendi district, Gambaga in the east Mamprusi district, and Kukuo in the Bimbilla district and Kpatinga in the Fushegu district. These places are sanctuaries for people mostly women accused of witchcraft in their communities. The alleged witches are banished from their communities and sent to the chief priest of these villages where they are exorcised.

They decide after the exorcising to stay there. Other sites include the turtle pond at Sambu in the Yendi district and the crocodile pond at Tale 20 kilometres west of Tamale.

There are about a thousand women in northern Ghana inhabiting camps whose sole occupants are deemed to be witches. Many, if not most, of the women are elderly.

How has this come about? Two reasons; religious and economic.

Ghana is a religiously diverse and reasonably tolerant country. It numbers amongst is inhabitants Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and many others, including adherents to traditionally indigenous religions. Within the indigenous religions are the beliefs in multiple gods, reincarnation, and witchcraft. When tragedy or hardship hits a family or village, it is often considered to be the result of sorcery.

Within each camp is usually a tribal priest who exorcises each women upon arrival to dispel the evil spirits. But this doesn't seem to carry much weight with the people of her village.