The Kamajors in Battle: Magic, Tactics, and Success

Abstract

These accounts of events that took place in combat situations paint both complementary and contradictory pictures of the role played by ritual and magic. On the one hand, it suggests that the use of drug infused potions altered the state of mind of the fighters and made them fiercer and braver, and in the case described above, more difficult to command while under the influence of the potion. On the other hand it suggests a very strong psychological dimension, something of a placebo effect that allowed the ECOMOG soldiers to use the diesel instead of the magic water and, feeling sure of its power, face battle as fearlessly as had they had actual magical protection. The second story was, interestingly, told by the Kamajor in the van, who wanted to demonstrate the power of belief amongst non-Kamajors as well as within the Kamajor ranks. But although he recognized the tangible psychological effect the diesel had on the ECOMOG soldiers, he also maintained that the real protection stayed with him in the van where the magic water was kept.

You have to know the society to make the society members perform.¹ A group of Kamajor fighters were to be deployed by helicopter, and a pilot arrived to pick them up. The Kamajors had gone through their pre-battle ritual to ensure their protection was absolute. Part of this ritual had involved drinking a potion especially prepared by one of the initiators. The fighters were all very agitated and eager to get on the helicopter and onto their destination. Eighty Kamajors got on the helicopter that would normally seat twenty-seven. Significantly overloaded, the helicopter was too heavy to take off with all the fighters onboard. But no Kamajor wanted to be left behind or have to wait for the helicopter to return, and all refused to leave the helicopter. Not even their commanders could convince them to stand down in their agitated state. The helicopter pilot had to wait for two hours before the fighters had calmed down enough to be persuaded to leave.²

A group of Kamajors were in battle together with some ECOMOG troops. One Kamajor was in a van that held a gallon tank of magic water—a potion for protection in battle. The van also held several similar tanks full of diesel. As they came under fire, ECOMOG soldiers came running towards the van crying “give me the magic water”. They had seen how the van was left unharmed by the bullets, like a reversed magnet repelling the fire, and they too wanted to get the same protection. They came into the van, but confused the tanks and took ones that contained diesel, not the magic water. But they thought they were protected and went back into battle stronger and fiercer. The Kamajor stayed in the van with the real protection.³