Yesterday I was reading the Sunday Seattle Times and
stumbled on an article about Nigerian hunters who were going after Boko Haram
militants. Most of us have been following the story of the schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in 2014. Since then the government of
Nigeria has sent soldiers out to attack and kill the Islamic terrorists. Once the
military started chasing the terrorists, however, they retreated to remote
forest hideouts. The soldiers need help finding water and shade as they pass through
unfamiliar terrain and that's where the hunters come in. The hunters are well
acquainted with the remote forest areas and they want revenge for the death of
an elderly leader of their group. They are actually guiding the soldiers to the
terrorists. The hunters are just one of many civilian vigilante groups that
have joined the fight against Boko Haram.
Abba Balomi, a hunter in Maiduguri, Nigeria wearing amulets and carrying a gun.
What caught my eye was a photograph of one of the hunters
wearing the sort of African amulets that I have read about in Africa Adorned by Angela Fisher. Many
West African hunters wear a special garment, called a batakari, covered in
amulets to protect them on a hunt or at war. The amulets look like little
leather packages and they are stuffed with sacred writing from the Koran. Since
one of the themes in my own work is protection, I have spent a lot of time
reading about protective garments and talismans from other cultures.
This is Chief Atoge Zangwio, a respected Kasena village
chief wearing his batakari and hat covered with leather packages.
The article in the paper mentioned the hunter’s amulets and
described them as lucky necklaces and superstitious. It also
described a quilted cloth vest made to resemble a bulletproof vest that
this hunter wears.“The items give him a sense of protection” is a quote from
the article. It also mentioned that when they recover trophies from the Boco
Haram hideouts, cash, phones and the insurgents good luck charms, they destroy
them. The hunters are also Muslim, but they are the good guys.
Notice the amulets on his belt and quilted vest.
I find it interesting that the author of the article, Dionne
Searcey from the New York Times took an interest in not only the weapons
carried by the hunters but also their protective garments and jewelry. What one
culture finds superstitious, another's finds empowering. Wearing words from the Koran on armor
is an old custom and widespread in the Muslim world.
Below is a helmet from Iran, early 19th century, decorated with sacred writing from the Koran.
Below is one of my necklaces, Scalped, made in 2010. The cylinders at the bottom contain powerful writing intended to ward of the evil spirits of cancer. I believe if an amulet makes you feel better or stronger, it's working.