On the east coast of Unguja (Zanzibar Island) and the island of Pemba, there is reputed to be a secret sect known as the Wachawi, who have the power to evoke strong and powerful juju and who are feared and respected throughout the islands. The Wachawi meet at night, out in the bush, where they dance, chant and cast their spells. They are able to take on the form of any animal or bird, which they do to aid their cover. The greatest of the Wachawi powers is the ability to bring people back from the dead - a skill which commands huge sums of money - and accounts are commonplace of families burying their dead and then being contacted by the Wachawi years later to be told that the deceased will be returned for a sum.... and of midnight meetings and relatives returning, pale, shocked and speechless, having seen the walking dead.
The lore of the Wachawi is found in the Spirit Voices and the Path of the Animal Spirit.
Rumours suggest that the Wachawi practise a dark form of unravelling to provide the magikal energies needed for their most powerful rituals, cannibalism. It has been speculated that these were the cannibals encountered by Sinbad on his voyages: slavery was still prevalent even in the 9th century, and the order already existed even this early in history.
Over the centuries many attempts have been made to eradicate the Wachawi, but these have never been successful. The order has powerful patrons that help protect them from such threats. In the 13th century, Mohammad bin Abdulrahman on the island of Pemba was reputed to have been a GrandMaster of the order, and his son Harun bin Ali followed in his father's footsteps. The Mwinyi Mkuu, traditional rulers of Unguja, have also been members of the order, it provided the basis for their power and influence over the centuries.