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John Doyle: Healing Across Cultures, 2023
This artwork depicts a witchdoctor of the Luo people of East Africa. He is performing a ritual in which he combats a demon in the form of a giant water serpent. According to traditional Luo belief, if the serpent descends into a particular lake headfirst, disease will follow it. The witchdoctor’s job is to force it into the lake by its tail in an attempt to hinder the disease. He is armed with a mask made from antelope hide and horns to show strength and fertility, and a cowrie shell covering his wand, which provides a path for his protective spirit to follow. With these symbols of power, he acts as the protector of his tribe in both the physical and spiritual realms.
Text by Jaden Leffler, Washburn student