SORCERY AND WITCHCRAFT IN FLORES AS A MATTER OF FACT AND THE DIVINE POWER OF SACRAMENTAL HOLYWATER

Abstract

This paper aims to present sorcery and witchcraft practices in Flores, an island in the Eastern part of Indonesia. Like in any other world society, be it in primitive societies, in Greco-Roman antiquity, in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, or in contemporary African and Asian traditional societies, sorcery and witchcraft, considered as two main types of black magic, are still widely practiced by people in Flores Island. The practices of sorcery and witchcraft in the island have been condemned by local authorities as well as by the Church. Those suspected of performing sorcery and witchcraft practices have been punished in various ways. They have been, for instance, shunned in social relationships or even excommunicated. Yet these means have not successfully terminated the practices. Today, despite the dislikes toward or even enmities between people and the suspected sorcerers or witches, people find it difficult to go after and confront them and feel reluctant to use  violent  means against them due to the presence of strong positive modern state laws inspired by today’s  concept of universal human rights. Under such a legal standard, it is quite difficult to bring charges against a sorcerer or a witch.