“Aida (Someone Put a Shetani on You)

2024 Original Artwork by Alice Aida Ayers, Hand-Stitched Fabrics, Mixed Media, 25” X 33”

For several months I felt overwhelmed, torn between loyalty to my life in Mangapwani and my own spirit. A song haunted me daily:

“Where is my spirit, I’m nowhere near it.” Misfortune pressed in from every side— thefts, angry accusations, lies, even physical injury. The

superstitions I had once dismissed began to feel disturbingly real. Sleep brought no relief. In my dreams, shaitani grabbed my locks,

chopping them off one by one. Each lock turned into a dry bone, clattering to the ground. Exhausted, I allowed an Imam to come and

recite verses from the Quran in my home, and village women laid their hands on me. Still, nothing changed. They whispered that

someone had cursed me out of jealousy, spreading rumors that I was making millions of shillings in the village. Finally, it was agreed the

mganga—the traditional healer—would set a spell of protection around my house. As an extra safeguard, I created a bottle tree to trap

wandering spirits. Trees had always felt like kin to me, and shaping one into a guardian seemed natural. Within weeks, the shift was

undeniable. The dreams stopped, the thefts ended, and the rumors quieted. Do I believe? I know this much: the beliefs of a people shape

the behavior of a community.