Mokhì

In the cultures of Vircazihm and surrounding areas, mokhì is the term for possession. A spirit or demon is believed to possess individuals causing personality changes, illness, or endowing super natural powers. There are a variety of entities that can cause the possession. Mokhì can have beneficial or detrimental impacts or both.

Traditionally, Kìfùist priests would intentionally invite mokhì by the spirit of a lineage or clan ancestor. In these semi-public rituals, the priest typically speaks in the voice of the ancestor to members of the lineage in attendance. In some instances the priest may behave strangely or in socially unacceptable ways. Likewise, Shungyist priests also practice intentional mokhì but rather than inviting ancestor spirits, they invite mokhì by demons from Miṛi Tĩmu, which is envisioned by Shungyists as an astral type of liminal word where entities from dreams come into existence. Shungyist priests use mokhì for a variety of reasons but usually it is for one of two reasons, either to heal mãngå̃ (soul loss), or to gain knowledge or powers from the demons of Miri Tĩmu.

Historically, lay people did not intentionally invite mokhì but could be the unwitting recipients or victims of it. This involuntary mokhì was almost always associated with illness or misfortune, however, with Ordrish influence in the Twentieth Century, gained popularity among the middle and upper classes. In time the interest in spiritism merged with the folk concept of mokhì for some people and mokhì, in the mid-Twentieth Century became a way for some to intentionally communicate with loved ones who had past. While the interest in spiritism waned, lay mokhì grew in popularity in the Nineties and has continued to grow in the current century spawning new varieties as well as new fears among many who view this practice as dangerous.