CW: Coercive spiritual practices and abuse of religious authority, misuse of cultural healing traditions, non-graphic violence, psychological manipulation, death, and burial practices.

In this episode, we examine the life and actions of Ahmad Suradji, a North Sumatran dukun whose misuse of a traditionally respected role resulted in profound harm. We explore what a dukun is, the cultural and spiritual context that shaped community trust, and the ways gender, belief, and authority intersected to create space for exploitation. Instead of relying on sensational narratives, we look closely at how sacred practices can be distorted and what unfolds when ritual power is weaponized over time.

Sources:

• Inside Indonesia. (2007, July 27). Time-honoured remedies for uncertain times. https://www.insideindonesia.org/time-honoured-remedies-for-uncertain-times
• Murderpedia. (n.d.). Ahmad Suradji. https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/suradji-ahmad.htm
• Pepa, C. O. (2023). Implementation of criminal law provisions against serious killers in Indonesia. Universitas Hasanuddin. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/82b6/3913b4fa2755e4adba3827baf2951361a6c7.pdf
• The Daily Telegraph. (2008, July 11). Black magic killer executed for 42 murders. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/indonesia/2286216/Black-Magic-Killer-executed-for-42-murders.html
• The Diplomat. (2023, April 14). https://thediplomat.com/2023/04/indonesia-has-another-shaman-serial-killer-and-the-phenomenon-is-more-common-than-you-think/
• Wikipedia. (n.d.). Ahmad Suradji. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmad_Suradji
• Wikipedia. (n.d.). Dukun. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukun
• IndoMetaphysics. (2022). The history and role of dukun in Javanese culture. https://indometaphysics.com/the-history-and-role-of-dukun-in-javanese-culture/