Pictures of my project “Sanguma” The belief in black magic revive from ancient times with an incredible outbreak of violence in Papua New Guinea Ancient beliefs in sorcery or Sanguma are being catapulted into the modern age, driving incredible outbreaks of violence mostly against women in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
If something unwanted or inexplicable occurs in a village individuals, mostly commonly women, are accused of committing black magic or of being a witch. They will be outcast from their homes, attacked and often killed. These are not secret crimes. An outraged mob will torture the accused women with archaic tools to death in public while no one is willing to help and the perpetrators will mostly not be sentenced. Visiting the most remote areas I talked to victims, survivours, offenders, police men, surviving dependants, researchers, human right defenders and people trying to help bring a resolution to this cyclical violence. I visited the torturing sites, the graves, the funeral piles and the burnt down property. [Official Website]
