Amos
Amos

I Closed the Depot: Addiction and Recovery in Kampala

Amos finds healing from addiction through ritual offerings and spirit mediumship in Kampala, Uganda.

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6:00•1 May 2022

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About this podcast

I Closed the Depot: Addiction and Recovery in Kampala

China Scherz, George Mpanga, and Sarah Namirembe

Dipo Naziggala (I Closed the Depot): Addiction and Recovery in Kampala is a podcast about addiction and recovery in Kampala Uganda. The stories told in this podcast were drawn from a four-year collaborative research study of the techniques Ugandans living in the suburbs of Kampala use to respond to alcohol related problems. While approximately 58 percent of Ugandans claim that they abstain from alcohol entirely, the WHO estimates that those who do drink have an exceptionally high estimated per capita consumption rate of 23.7 liters of pure alcohol per year. For comparison, the WHO 2014 report estimates the per capita consumption rate among American drinkers at 13.3 liters and Russian drinkers at 22.3 liters (World Health Organization 2014). Over the course of four years (2015-2019) we sought to learn about alcohol use and the ways that people attempt to resolve situations of problem drinking by spending time talking with people in bars and in the places where they sought help for their problems. Some of these people sought help in formal drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers and Alcoholics Anonymous support groups. Given the relatively recent introduction of Western ideas of alcoholism and addiction in Uganda, most people sought help for their problems outside of the formal medical system. They visited herbalists to buy herbal emetic therapies. They made offerings to the lubaale spirits in the shrines of basamize. They prayed for deliverance in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. This podcast is a collection of their stories. The stories told here are true as remembered by the people who shared them with the research team. In accordance with the requirements of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, they have changed the names of the people involved as well as place names and other identifying details. We hope that in sharing these stories with you that you may come to learn about the wide range of techniques people can use to resolve situations of problem drinking. They also hope that the stories may give you hope of addressing the problems that you may encounter in your own life. Finally, they want to express their deep thanks to all of the people who shared their stories with them so that they could share them with you.

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Episodes: 13

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Amos's Journey: Healing from Addiction through Rituals and Spirit Mediumship

“Through this work, I have earned the love and respect of the people who frequent Jajakasumba's sabo, and they often refer me as jaja too.”

Imagine finding solace in the midst of addiction through age-old rituals and spiritual guidance. In this episode, Amos shares his remarkable journey from the depths of poverty and alcoholism to a place of healing and spiritual growth. His story is part of a twelve-part series that dives deep into addiction and recovery in Kampala, Uganda, based on a four-year research study exploring how locals tackle alcohol-related issues.

Amos opens up about the traditional practices that have long been a cornerstone of Ugandan culture. He speaks of herbal emetic therapies, offerings to the ruvali spirits in the shrines of basamize, and heartfelt prayers for deliverance in Pentecostal and charismatic churches. These practices, often overlooked by Western perspectives, play a pivotal role in his recovery. Dreams and ancestral spirits are not just folklore for Amos; they are guiding lights in his journey.

He explains how dreams helped him understand the root causes of his addiction, leading him to the path of recovery. Working as an assistant to Jajakasumba, a musamize spirit medium, Amos is learning to become a senkulu mandwa, a revered spiritual leader. Through obedience, hard work, and sacrifice, he has earned respect and love from the community that once saw him struggle. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of how spirituality and traditional practices can offer hope and healing.

Whether you're personally affected by addiction or simply curious about different cultural approaches to recovery, Amos's story offers a unique perspective that is both enlightening and inspiring.

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