Ritual practices, hypnotic suggestions and trance-like states in Swahili written literature

Abstract

This article suggests an interdisciplinary analysis of Swahili written literature from Tanzania through the principles of hypnosis, such as trance-like states, post-hypnotic suggestions, therapeutic metaphors and negative autohypnosis, produced during the performance of traditional ritual practices such as initiation rituals and witchcraft acts. The objective is to illustrate how the hypnotic trance, induced by ritual performances, can be interpreted as a channel to convey Afrocentric knowledge and wisdom. The selected fictional works explored are the following two novels and four plays: Mwendo (Lema 2004), Mirathi ya Hatari (Mung’ong’o 2016), Embe Dodo (Makukula 2015), Kija: Chungu cha Mwanamwari wa Giningi (Kitogo 2009), Kivuli Kinaishi (Mohamed 1990) and Ngoma ya Ng’wanamalundi (Mbogo 2008).