Tradition and modernity in Somali experiences of spirit possession

This chapter critically investigates discourses of modernization amid experiences of chronic spirit possession, mental illness, and healing practices in Burao, Somaliland, Northwestern Somalia. The research was based on ethnographic fieldwork between January 2013 and March 2020, conducted with the local help of the University of Burao. Data were collected through participant observation in the general society and of religious healers as well as two rounds of semi-structured interviews in 2014–15 and 2018, respectively, involving a total of 26 participants and 42 interviews. Other relevant materials, such as a book manuscript by a local healer, a locally made movie, and several YouTube videos, were also analyzed. This chapter argues that chronic possession experiences and healing practices are conceptualized as part of the modernization process in Somaliland society. In contrast to other research into spirit possession, the Somali experiences suggest that possession does not need to be designated as a traditional phenomenon but is often considered modern. The author outlines how Somali Islamic practice, as part of Somali culture, may be part of a larger modernization vision of the global Islamic movement. The chapter also proposes that embracing possession as a modern phenomenon offers new ways of treating underlying suffering, as the causes of suffering are externalized and personified.