20 years ago, an unending story began, it was a story of a “Messiahed” Wizard who was to end the reign of the most vicious wizard of all time, a story loved by so many, so much it took seven years to eclipse and with many more extracts following the main event throughout the process.
I personally loved the Harry Potter story, so much that I had autographed photo, one of my priced item, until it got defaced through some horrendous accident. Back in my teens harry potter was not just a story, knowing a few spells and enchanted portions could earn you a date with your long-time crush on any Senior High School campus. but when I grew up I came to love the tales behind the Author, J.K and her battle through hard times of anxiety, rejection, and more, challenges that warranted giving up, but she urged on regardless. And on that delayed train trip to London, her “Eureka” moment came through. A true rags to riches story. but just like any good story, there are detracts, and on its 2nd decade, I look at how people of faith prejudice a “wizardry themed novel.
So why the fuzz if she wrote about wizards, well for most cultures and faith, wizardry is not to be mentioned and any attempts to fantasize its appeal, was deemed evil, J.K herself recounted an encounter with Arab man who after shouted ” you will burn in hell” at her amongst many, in other instance various Christian faith had banished her for what they claimed was occultism and advised for a barn of her books in curricular schools.
Being a northerner and for that matter a Ghanaian I have witnesses the horror meted against people who are acclaimed to witches, a visit to the Gambaga witch camp will
exemplify how my part of the world views and treats witches ( largely because they are all females). There have been times where people with underling metal conditions have been rushed to the police station rather the hospital accused of being witches with dehumanizing act done against them. ( funny the thought of what to charge them with).
Back to Harry Potter, so whiles reading one of the series ( the Goblet of fire) My inquisitive mum wanted to know why I kept smiling,
So I showed her the back photo saying “this woman has written a nice book about witches and I wished you could have read it ( My mum could barely read past three lettered words but am always proud of her passion to learn more)
Then she replied,
she even look like one, I hope you are not one too ?
We laughed it off jovially, but it was the norm when we were growing up to if you ever did anything surprising you were taunted to be one.
But I also asked the question was harry potter just about wizardry, No there was more to the story than just that asides the overwhelming literary creation the book brought into being, the bedrock of the story to me was more about sacrifice and perseverance, when Harry realized what he calling was he never reclined he did all he could to save the wizard world, and this is a story that has similitude In many faiths and traditions.
ib bakar writes 