When Illness Becomes a Spirit Story

Introduction

Across Eritrea, stories about zar spirit possession and the evil eye occupy a distinctive place where health, emotion, religion and folklore overlap. They are not simply tales about invisible beings. For many families, they have long offered a way to explain illnesses that seem mysterious, persistent or resistant to ordinary treatment, especially when distress appears to have no obvious physical cause. These beliefs also connect Eritrea with a much wider cultural world stretching across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, where similar traditions are found in Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti and parts of Arabia.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

For anyone interested in Eritrean Forteana, the significance lies less in proving whether spirits exist than in understanding why spirit explanations have remained meaningful. They illuminate how communities have interpreted suffering, envy, misfortune and recovery, often combining religious faith, traditional healing and practical care rather than seeing them as mutually exclusive.

Zar, evil eye and sickness fears

The term zar refers to a category of spirits believed in many communities around the Horn of Africa to enter or attach themselves to a person, producing physical, emotional or behavioural disturbances. Rather than being viewed as simple demons in every tradition, zar spirits are often understood as troublesome but negotiable beings. Healing therefore seeks not always to expel them completely but to restore a workable relationship between the afflicted person and the spirit. This distinguishes many zar traditions from straightforward exorcism.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

Descriptions of symptoms vary between communities, but ethnographic studies commonly mention:

Modern medical researchers generally interpret these experiences very differently. They may reflect psychological distress, trauma, neurological illness, depression, anxiety disorders or other health conditions that deserve clinical assessment. Anthropologists, however, note that traditional explanations can also provide sufferers with a socially recognised way of expressing distress, especially where emotional suffering might otherwise be difficult to discuss openly.[PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCZār Spirit Possession in Iran and African CountriesNIHby F Mianji · 2015 · Cited by 36 — However, Hofriyati people might also link them to other supernatural causes, like sorcery (am…

Alongside zar sits the widespread belief in the evil eye. In Eritrean and neighbouring traditions, illness or bad fortune may be attributed not to deliberate witchcraft but to destructive envy transmitted through an admiring or jealous glance. Beautiful children, successful families, healthy livestock or unexpected prosperity are all considered particularly vulnerable in many traditional accounts.[wikipedia.org]WikipediaBuda (folkloreDecember 4, 2025 — Buda (Ge'ez: ቡዳ), in Ethiopian and Eritrean folk religion, is the power of the evil eye and the ability to change int…Published: December 4, 2025

Unlike spectacular ghost stories, the evil eye belongs to everyday life. A child’s sudden illness, repeated household misfortune or unexplained run of accidents might prompt relatives to wonder whether envy rather than chance lay behind events.

Healing, water and ritual relief

Traditional responses rarely involve a single method. Instead, healing often combines ritual, prayer and community support.

Across Eritrea and neighbouring societies, people may seek help from respected religious figures, experienced traditional healers or family elders. Depending on the community, treatment can involve prayers, blessings, the use of holy water, incense, protective writings or amulets, and ritual gatherings intended to identify the source of affliction. Among Christians, holy water and prayers may accompany healing; among Muslims, Qur’anic recitation and protective verses may play similar roles.[cp-pc.ca]cp-pc.caOpen source on cp-pc.ca.

Where zar possession is believed to be involved, ceremonies frequently include rhythmic music, singing and dancing that encourage the afflicted person into a trance. To outside observers these gatherings may resemble exorcisms, but many specialists describe them instead as rituals of reconciliation. The aim is often to identify the spirit’s demands, calm its influence and restore social balance rather than wage a dramatic supernatural battle.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.

Anthropologists have long remarked that these ceremonies also perform an important social function. Rather than isolating a distressed individual, they bring together relatives, neighbours and ritual specialists in a collective attempt to relieve suffering. In societies where mental health services have historically been limited, such communal responses could provide emotional support even when participants disagreed about the literal existence of spirits.[PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCZār Spirit Possession in Iran and African CountriesNIHby F Mianji · 2015 · Cited by 36 — However, Hofriyati people might also link them to other supernatural causes, like sorcery (am…

Protective practices associated with the evil eye are generally quieter than zar ceremonies. Families may use prayers, blessed objects, religious texts or verbal blessings intended to deflect envy. Some Eritrean folklore also describes keeping protective objects near entrances or avoiding excessive praise of children without accompanying words of blessing, reflecting the idea that admiration should not inadvertently attract harm.[shabait.com]shabait.comfrom cultural heritages of eritrea on eritrean traditional fairiesEritrea Ministry Of InformationFrom Cultural Heritages of Eritrea: On Eritrean Traditional…27 Sept 2013 — The reason was that if peopl…

Belief, scepticism and humane interpretation

One reason zar traditions continue to interest folklorists is that they blur the boundary between religion, medicine and social experience.

Believers may regard possession as an entirely real encounter with unseen spirits. Some Christian writers interpret zar and the evil eye as manifestations of demonic influence, while others reject traditional spirit beliefs altogether in favour of exclusively biblical explanations. Likewise, many Muslims distinguish acceptable religious healing from folk practices they consider unorthodox. These debates have existed for generations within Eritrean and neighbouring religious communities.[Lausanne Movement]lausanne.orgethiopian case studyLausanne MovementCase Study: Demonization and the Practice of Exorcism in…22 Aug 2000 — A Christian explanation of the anthropological…

Medical researchers, meanwhile, tend to explain reported possession through psychological, neurological or social mechanisms. Episodes associated with zar often occur during periods of bereavement, family conflict, anxiety or other intense stress. From this perspective, spirit possession represents a culturally meaningful language through which suffering is expressed and addressed rather than evidence of literal supernatural beings.[PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCZār Spirit Possession in Iran and African CountriesNIHby F Mianji · 2015 · Cited by 36 — However, Hofriyati people might also link them to other supernatural causes, like sorcery (am…

Neither interpretation entirely removes the cultural importance of the tradition. Even among Eritrean diaspora communities, references to zar or the evil eye remain part of family memory and identity, although younger generations may understand them more as inherited folklore than as everyday reality.[eCALD]ecald.comEthiopian and Eritrean CultureZar possession is believed to be higher amongst women in the home country and more common amongst men…

For students of Eritrean Forteana, zar possession and evil-eye beliefs therefore matter not because they provide dramatic paranormal case files, but because they reveal how invisible forces have been woven into explanations of illness, fear and recovery. They occupy the rich middle ground between folklore, religion, psychology and community healing—a place where the strangest stories often tell us as much about people as they do about spirits.

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to When Illness Becomes a Spirit Story. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

The Golden Bough

By James George Frazer

First published 1890. Subjects: Mythology, Magic, Superstition, Religion, Primitive Religion.

See on Amazon

Book

The Penguin Book of Dragons

By Scott G. Bruce

First published 2021. Subjects: Folklore.

See on Amazon

Book

Evil Eye

By Antonio Pagliarulo, Judika Illes

First published 2023.

See on Amazon

Book

Evil Eye: The History, Mystery, and Magic of the Quiet Curse

By Antonio Pagliarulo

Directly examines evil-eye beliefs closely related to Eritrean traditions.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon:The Golden BoughThe Penguin Book of DragonsEvil Eye

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

eBay marketplace picks

Marketplace Samples

Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.

Shop location

UsingUSA USA USAUKCanadaAustraliaIreland

Example eBay listing

Illness strikes men when Framed Wall Art Poster Canvas Print Picture

SearcheBay.co.uk: illness poster

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Original Vintage Poster FLU - ILLNESS - PREVENTION TIPS -HEALTH - HYGIENE - 1965

SearcheBay.co.uk: illness poster

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Illness may be Chronic but my Burns Framed Wall Art Poster Canvas Print Picture

SearcheBay.co.uk: illness poster

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Illness Definition Meaning Art Prin Framed Wall Art Poster Canvas Print Picture

SearcheBay.co.uk: illness poster

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Browse more oneBay.co.uk

Example items shown for inspiration; availability and pricing can change. Branchoria may earn a commission if you purchase through outbound eBay links.

Endnotes

1. Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z%C4%81r

2. Source: cp-pc.ca
Link:https://cp-pc.ca/english/eritrea/spirit.html

3. Source: Wikipedia
Title: Buda (folklore)
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buda_%28folklore%29

Published: December 4, 2025

4. Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtera

5. Source: ecald.com
Link:https://www.ecald.com/assets/Resources/Assets/C3-P2-S3-Ethiopian-Eritrean-Culture.pdf

6. Source: superstitionsmap.com
Title: evil eye, holy water, and traditional healing.Read more
Link:https://superstitionsmap.com/eritrean-superstitions/

7. Source: lausanne.org
Title: ethiopian case study
Link:https://lausanne.org/content/ethiopian-case-study

8. Source: superstitionsmap.com
Link:https://superstitionsmap.com/african-superstitions/

9. Source: Wikipedia
Title: African divination
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_divination

10. Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Title: PMCZār Spirit Possession in Iran and African Countries
Link:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4801492/

11. Source: shabait.com
Title: from cultural heritages of eritrea on eritrean traditional fairies
Link:https://shabait.com/2013/09/27/from-cultural-heritages-of-eritrea-on-eritrean-traditional-fairies/

12. Source: shabait.com
Link:https://shabait.com/2016/07/01/belief-in-superstitions-a-direct-product-of-partial-ignorance/

Additional References

13. Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/31230272_Lost_Tribes_and_Coffee_Ceremonies_Zar_Spirit_Possession_and_the_Ethno-Religious_Identity_of_Ethiopian_Jews_in_Israel

14. Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396619921_Indigenous_Healing_in_Sudan_Ethnomedical_Practices_Beliefs_and_Policy_Perspectives

15. Source: omicsonline.org
Link:https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/the-curious-case-of-the-disappearing-zar-cult-1522-4821-1000570-123185.html

16. Source: pinkpangea.com
Title: 4 eritrean superstitions and beliefs
Link:https://pinkpangea.com/2016/11/4-eritrean-superstitions-and-beliefs/

17. Source: youtube.com
Title: Why Africa needs culturally sensitive talk therapy?
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frecg09FsF8

18. Source: perfumedskull.com
Link:https://perfumedskull.com/2016/06/02/the-red-wind-of-memory-a-review-of-susan-kenyons-slaves-and-spirits-of-central-sudan-2012/

19. Source: youtube.com
Title: Challenges and Rewards of a culturally-informed approach to mental health
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrYmQDiunSc

20. Source: scielo.org.za
Link:https://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S0259-94222008000200017&script=sci_arttext

21. Source: hts.org.za
Link:https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/39

22. Source: youtube.com
Title: ethiopian zar rituals
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If24b_hGda0