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XVI. Glidyi Ewe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

Extract

In Ewe, adzé, in eastern dialects azé, is a witch spirit, and adzétɔ a person possessed by a witch. To this word corresponds Yoruba adzé, and Ekoi ndze with the same meaning. According to the Ewe, a witch (spirit or person)is a being which takes its abode in persons, for preference in women. At night it or he (she) leaves its human body, as a snake casts its skin, and walks about emitting fire from its eyes, mouth, or nose; it likes to walk with its head on the ground or, when upright, with its feet turned backward. It kills people by sucking their blood at night or by taking away their shadow (‘soul’) at noon-time.

Type
The African Explains Witchcraft
Information
Africa , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , October 1935 , pp. 550 - 552
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1935

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References

page 550 note 1 Lihɔe, this word is also used for ‘soul’.

page 551 note 1 A murderer must be killed with the same instrument which he used in killing; this is not possible in the present case, because the chief's court cannot use witchcraft.

page 552 note 1 i.e. we prepare a gift for each one of you witch spirits, therefore, wherever you may be, come and partake of your meal.