Brazzaville Charms: Magic and Rebellion in the Republic of the Congo

by Cassie Knight

Brutalized by colonialism, plundered by politicians and destroyed in terrifying civil Congo Brazzaville is Africa at its worst. But it is also home to people who inspire hope through their courage, their determination, their enduring optimism, and their sense of fun. Brazzaville Charms is a unique portrait of a country long ignored by the rest of the world. This first-person account, based on original research and interviews, tells the story of militiamen who are led by a dreadlocked reincarnation of Christ, of exorcisms and sorcery, of pygmies who are owned by their masters, of timber companies exploiting the rain forest, and of the wars that have been caused by oil.

Genres: Africa

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2007

Reviews

[David Corleto-Bales · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting short book about the Republic of the Congo, not the giant "Democratic Republic of the Congo" which used to be Zaire (and a Belgian colony) but the smaller former French colony to the west. Brazzaville is the capital, and used to be the capital of French Equatorial Africa. This country has been is disarray in recent years, scourged by civil war and bad government. France never really relinquished control on its sub-Saharan African colonies and keeps them in check by manipulating the political processes there and putting into power compliant dictators who work closely with the French state oil company, Elf. A few political and military figures at the top of Congolese society make millions, (which they quickly funnel out the country) and French expatriates live well while the majority of the population lives in poverty.

Congolese culture is very vibrant, however. There is a gigantic amount of belief in sorcery and witchcraft. Most people blame their problems of poverty or ill health on "sorcerers" casting spells on them.

I wish there had been more about the people in the Congo before the coming of the Europeans and she could have rounded out the book by doing more comprehensive interviews. I could have stood for a little more Mike Wallace-type "gotcha" with someone from Elf, however, she steadfastly shuns Europeans while she was there.

[Adrian]

Chosen as a book of the year in Britain. Odd book. Ms. Knight has fallen in love with the Republic of Congo and knows its disastrous history well. Politically, economically, socially everything has gone wrong here. As candid as she is in most of her analysis I would have liked a saner policy of dealing with witchcraft than relying on the church.

[FiveBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it after living and working in the Republic of Congo, a country I loved from the moment I arrived. I became really intrigued by the widespread belief in sorcery and magic. I met a famous sorcerer who was said to have played a role in the civil war. His city had escaped the war and he claimed that he had put a magical barrier round the city. People brought him tributes afterwards.