| Some may consider the tale a fantasy while others will | | | | She claims that she has paid a heavy price in this |
| swear that it is truth all the way. The tale begins in the | | | | attempted conversion as she has two sons |
| small African nation of Zambia. | | | | immediately upon their birth. It is no surprise that she |
| A wealthy Zambian businessman had his new car | | | | abandoned this conversion to Christianity and reverted |
| stolen and wanted desperately to have it returned. | | | | back to being a local witchdoctor. Unfortunately her |
| The police were totally useless in finding it as well as | | | | husband could not understand this and within a short |
| the offering of a reward for its return. Finally at his wits | | | | period of time left Mutinda. |
| end he decides to consult with a local witchdoctor. The | | | | In time Mutinda ended up living in Nairobi where others |
| witchdoctor was shown the spot where the | | | | from her original homeland could be helped by her |
| automobile was last seen and proceeded to perform | | | | unusual but effective methods. Strangely upon settling |
| a somewhat magical ritual. He danced and he chanted | | | | in this new home she became the attention of people |
| all the time waving his hands within the air. He finally | | | | from all walks of life with problems and difficulties for |
| concluded the ritual and went to his home. | | | | her to solve. It is not unusual for the neighbors to see |
| It was a mere few days later that the missing | | | | Asians visiting her in her one room home asking for |
| automobile appeared at the exact spot where it | | | | her services. Although normal physicians' do not any |
| originally disappeared from. | | | | longer make house calls Mutinda will. She has made |
| In another similar situation a man from Kitui had been | | | | numerous house calls to patients who happen to be |
| missing for several years and no trace could be found | | | | too ill to come to her and even after she will make her |
| of him. Police could not find him nor any proof of foul | | | | rounds to ensure that they are still alright and feeling |
| play. The family was in a state of despair and hinged | | | | well. |
| on giving up all hope. The father finally decides to | | | | Mutinda is illiterate and generally does not have any |
| consult with the local witchdoctor and ask for his | | | | idea of what is going on in the news. She is unaware |
| assistance. Within a matter of days the missing man | | | | of the ongoing controversy between the witchdoctors |
| reappeared at home. He had left a teenager and | | | | and the current administration. When the discussion of |
| when he returned he was total unable to speak his | | | | witchdoctors is brought up she will quickly inform you |
| native language of Kitamba but rather conversed in | | | | that she is not a witch but merely undoes what evil |
| the language of Kikuyuland where he claims he had | | | | witches do. She clearly lets the inquirer know that |
| been living. | | | | what she does is strictly for the good of the people |
| Although you may consider that these are some very | | | | and not for harming others. |
| unusual and strange situations they are not the least | | | | When bewitched people approach Mutinda she |
| but peculiar to Teresia Mbini Mutinda. For the last thirty | | | | undoes the current spell and then offers then |
| plus years, Mutinda has been practicing her special | | | | protection from the spell being placed upon them again. |
| style of witchcraft in her native Nairobi. She readily | | | | Her tools are of modest means and consist of cowrie |
| claims to have aided people from every corner of the | | | | shells, a bow, a calabash, a horn, gourd and a small |
| world and from every lifestyle imaginable. She claims | | | | mirror. She readily uses these tools to discover the |
| her birthright as her start in the profession as | | | | root of the patients problems as well as the best |
| witchdoctor. Records were generally not kept too | | | | direct way to deal with it. |
| accurately in the days of her birth and thus even | | | | Mutinda does not try to deal with medical problems. If |
| though her nation identification card indicates that she | | | | she senses that the patients problem is rooted |
| was born in 1930 it possibly may only be an estimate. | | | | medically she will quickly advise them to seek the |
| She states that she was a witchdoctor long before | | | | proper medial attention needed. One of her major |
| she was married. Her husband had forced her to | | | | complaints these days is the rising commercialization in |
| convert to Christianity which resulted in the name | | | | the area of witchdoctors. It is not unusual these days |
| Teresia being bestowed upon her. She admits that | | | | to see may of the witchdoctors advertising their |
| when her husband had convinced her to convert to | | | | services and this Mutinda does not feel is proper. Her |
| Christianity he insisted that she burn all her related craft | | | | belief is that many of these commercial witchdoctors |
| paraphernalia and that to her was not an easy task to | | | | have purchased their craft and this to Mutinda is not |
| accomplish. | | | | good as spirits like jinni will return after you die to haunt |
| Mutinda will tell you straight out that when she entered | | | | your offspring. |
| the pool for her conversion baptism that she got lost in | | | | Mutinda has three daughters and five sons all of which |
| the water. This occurred on Saturday and on the | | | | she has managed to provide successful education for |
| following Monday she was discovered lying upon a | | | | through her craft. She will tell you that this is the only |
| rock violently vomiting. Her explanation of these events | | | | life she knows and that is what she shall remain doing |
| was that the associated spirits from her craft would | | | | until she dies. |
| not leave her alone. | | | | |