The Witchdoctor Who Speaks in Tongues: East African “Superstitions” in Mombasa’s Islam and Christianity
Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft March 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1353/mrw.2026.a998010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Mombasa's indigenous healers, the waganga, are integrated into both Islam and Christianity with limited theological tension, and that this syncretism reflects a broader religious pluralism in Mombasa that softens boundaries between religions. |
Abstract
Abstract:Mombasa’s indigenous healer, the mganga in Swahili, is also the witchdoctor, fortune teller, spiritual liberator and protector, healer of both body and mind, and they are varyingly integrated into mainstream religions. In Islam they operate with limited theological tension and African Muslims hold a high tolerance for them with many waganga (pl) identifying as Muslims. In Christianity, the traditional form of spirit possession lives quite openly in the form of widespread Pentecostal-like practices, such as speaking in tongues. These syncretic tendencies of Mombasa’s religions reflect a broader reality of religion there: its pluralistic nature to soften boundaries between religions.