‘I went out into the street... and now I am fighting for my life’. Street children, witchcraft accusations, and the collapse of the household in Bangui (Central African Republic)

Andrea Ceriana Mayneri (1)

1 IMAF - Institut des Mondes Africains

The streets of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, are peopled by “sections” of children who have been abandoned by, or have chosen to flee from, their families. These “street-children” include some who have been accused of witchcraft in their families. This accusation has sometimes been confirmed later in a Church or some other place of worship in the city. This article describes some characteristics of life on the streets in a context that is subject to the constant risk of violence, dwelling on the significant role of the accusations of witchcraft in Central African society. Analyzing how the children of Bangui describe their condition as outcasts, the anthropologist’s attention is necessarily drawn by the violent dynamics that take form in the districts of the city and in the family.

Mots clés: Central African Republic; Street children; Family violence; Witchcraft and sorcery

Mots clés: Centrafrique; Bangui; enfants de rues; Violence familiale; Sorcellerie

Domaines: Anthropologie sociale et ethnologie

Andrea Ceriana Mayneri. ‘I went out into the street... and now I am fighting for my life’. Street children, witchcraft accusations, and the collapse of the household in Bangui (Central African Republic). Mariano Pavanello. Perspectives on African Witchcraft, Routledge, 2017, 9781138217560. ⟨halshs-01525011⟩