Gendered Narratives of Illness and Healing: Experiences of Spirit Possession in a Charismatic Church Community in Tanzania

Abstract

Gospel Miracle Church for All People (gmcl) in Mbeya, Tanzania, founded and led by Prophet Mpanji has a healing and exorcism session as the culmination point of each Sunday service. This healing is loud, spectacular and gendered. Most of the sick are women in their reproductive years and spirit possession causing the sicknesses is related to female sexuality. Often it is the female ancestors or living elderly women involved in witchcraft who are behind the problems and thus this practice can be interpreted as creating a break with the past. Problems with fertility occur constantly among the sick women that can also relate to spirits using women sexually for procreating additional demons. They also portray women’s loss of agency and control over their lives. The stories of healing and practices of healing can be seen as control over female sexuality and fertility while healing is also restoration of moral agency.

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