Magical Protections For Warfare and Life

Many, if not all societies have had supernatural belief systems, which provide individuals with existential meaning and a sense of purpose. Many of these beliefs are probably incorrect, but believe it or not, the belief in protection from spells during warfare, though often detrimental to the individual, is generally beneficial to society as a whole, bringing groups together and helping them to survive.

Magical Warfare Technologies

Since the 1990s, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced extreme levels of violence and political turmoil. High levels of displacement, disease and poverty exist here. There is also little in the way of governmental support or direction to provide help. This leaves the people of the Congo in a precarious position with high levels of existential angst. This is where supernatural beliefs come in. 

The Congolese, in general, have a high level of belief in the supernatural. They believe that unseen forces and agents inhabit the world. An example of this is the magical ritual of bulletproofing, 

The Mai-Mai guerrillas of the Congo would charge into battle naked with the belief that they were bulletproof. Such beliefs are not that unusual. A former commander of forces and member of the Sarpo tribe in Liberia, who was often referred to by the name, General Butt Naked, would lead his troops into battle, naked, except for shoes and a gun. He believed the nakedness was a source of protection from bullets. He also believed in increasing his powers by cannibalism, until he converted to Christianity. 

The rituals to make a person bulletproof vary, ranging from not drinking water, no sexual acts with a woman during her period and not eating zucchinis. Failure of the bulletproofing, such as death, would often be attributed to the failure to carry out the conditions of the ritual. Death and injury did not prove the belief system to be false.

Magical Tattoos

In Thailand, the tradition of sak yant tattooing goes back thousands of years. These yantra tattoos are believed to be magic and to bestow mystical powers, protection, or good luck. Of note, “Sak” means “tattoo,” and “yant” comes from yantra, a mystical diagram found throughout Dharmic religions.

People receiving these sacred tattoos believe that the drawings on their skin are magically charged and will bring many benefits. There is a range of protections and benefits which are believed to be provided by the tattoos, from protection to the bearer, attracting romantic partners and shielding the wearer from bullets and other weapons. 

Tattooing Yant at Wat Bang Phra Temple

The designs of the sak yant tattoos are derived from Buddhist and animist imagery, but each person receives tattoos that are suitable for his/her purposes and place in the world. Celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Steven Seagal and other foreigners have had sak yant tattoos inked upon their skins and this has upset the Thai people and led to the installation of 15-metre-wide billboards near Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport declaring that: "It's wrong to use Buddha as a decoration or tattoo".

Tribal Cannibalism and Tradition

Throughout the Pacific region, there has been a culture and tradition of tribal warfare for hundreds and sometimes, thousands of years. Although many of these preindustrial societies had institutions which were aimed at taming violence, such as the use of duels, enforced migration and compensation; as circumstances changed and populations grew, these often failed. In more recent years, Western justice systems have tried to stop the cycles of violence and revenge, called "payback" in pidgin English, by bringing fighting and the dispensation of justice into the courtroom. 

Back in the 1970s, Papua New Guinea was an Australian‐administered territory. However, at this time, there were still many "undiscovered" and uncontacted tribes living in New Guinea, particularly in the Highlands region. Some of these tribes were found to be eating the bodies of their enemies and keeping the mummified remains of their own dead tied to tree platforms in a sitting position. Other tribes would display skulls won in battle.

New Guinea native posing with a mummified body - WW2 era. Aussie Mobs

Some tribes practised cannibalism, so that they could obtain a witch's powers and prevent these powers from being used by others.  Some routinely cut off the heads of the rivals tribe and poured the blood over a special stone, then later drank brain soup. This was just part of the everyday tribal warfare. 

Books To Read

Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time, by science writer Michael Shermer.