# African vampires

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-vampires/804876>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 19, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-vampires/804876 "2017-12-19T19:14:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![yellow\_sausage\_bandit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yellow_sausage_bandit/32/394_2.png) [@yellow\_sausage\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellow_sausage_bandit)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-vampires/804876/1 "2017-12-19T19:14:53Z")

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I read in the newspaper today that a Belgian couple almost got lynched by a mob in Malawi who thought they were vampires, apparently a bunch of people there have been killed on the suspicion of being vampires and the government is arresting hundreds of vampire hunters. So, what are vampires in Malawi like? I assume they’re not charming white guys sitting in their dark countryside castles.

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**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-vampires/804876/2 "2017-12-19T19:40:10Z")

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Skimming an article on the subject, brought up this illumiating paragraph:

> [@](#):
>
> Belief in witchcraft is widespread in parts of Malawi.
> 
> Educational standards are also low in rural areas meaning some villagers who spot others with technology they’ve never seen before, like a battery and cables to jump start a car, suspect they could be used in vampiric rituals.

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-vampires/804876/3 "2017-12-19T19:53:59Z")

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> [@dstarfire](#):
>
> Skimming an article on the subject, brought up this illumiating paragraph:

[It’s more illuminating with a link](http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/wtf/violence-erupts-in-malawi-due-to-fears-blood-sucking-vampires-are-on-the-loose/news-story/7d4a2f64c648c549c89b16c3d1353217), which, in this case, goes to news.com.au, a Murdoch entity.