Table of Contents
What does word Obeah mean?
Definition of obeah : a system of belief among Black people chiefly of the British West Indies and the Guianas that is characterized by the use of magic ritual to ward off misfortune or to cause harm.
What is a Obeah person?
Definition of obeah man : an adept or leader in the practice of obeah : witch doctor.
Where did the word Obeah come from?
Obeah is difficult to define, as it is not a single, unified set of practices; the word “Obeah” was historically not often used to describe one’s own practices….
| Obeah | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Afro-Caribbean |
| Origin | 18th century Igboland |
| Separated from | Myal |
| Absorbed | Ashanti, Odinani, Igbo, Christianity (occasionally) |
When did Obeah become illegal?
1760
Obeah was first made illegal in 1760, as part of a sweepingly repressive act passed in the aftermath of Tacky’s Rebellion, the largest uprising of enslaved people in the 18th-century British-colonised Caribbean.
Where did Obeah originated from?
Modern historians believe that Obeah originated from the Ashanti and Koromantin tribes of Africa on the Gold Coast, and that imported slaves introduced it to the Caribbean as early as the mid 17th century.
When was Obeah created?
Obeah was first made illegal in 1760, as part of a sweepingly repressive act passed in the aftermath of Tacky’s Rebellion, the largest uprising of enslaved people in the 18th-century British-colonised Caribbean.
Where does Obeah come from?
Obeah originates from native West African religions but can claim roots in almost anywhere or anything. Practice can be traced back to the enslaved and the Maroons of Jamaica, but its practice extends throughout the Caribbean in places like Guyana (where Indian influence is most present) and through Latin America and South America.
What is another word for obeah?
Synonyms for obeah. “sorcery, witchcraft” among blacks in Africa and the W. Indies , 1760, from a West African word, e.g. Efik (southern Nigeria) ubio “a thing or mixture left as a charm to cause sickness or death,” Twi ebayifo “witch, wizard, sorcerer.”.
Is Obeah real?
Obeah as a spiritual practice is very real — as real as the miracles manifested in prayer within mainstream Christianity. If the question is phrased as “Does Obeah Work” the answer is, without a doubt, yes. The fact that Obeah works is indisputable.
What are Obeah spells?
Obeah spells are considered a spiritual contract between the priest and the person who desires a spell to be cast. They may involve the use of bodily fluids, herbs, personal possessions of the person on whom the spell is to be cast, as well as certain incantations. Very often, a dance is performed to invoke the spirits.