Curse

a spiritual sanction or ill-wish believed to bring misfortune, illness, or bad luck as a consequence of a serious wrongdoing, such as disrespecting an elder or breaking a sacred oath.

3 translations across African languages✓ Verified

Pre-colonial context

“In Luyia tradition, an ikhira is taken very seriously. It is often believed that only the person who issued the curse can remove it, or it may require specific cleansing rituals performed by elders using traditional herbs known as manyasi.”