Bound by blood: new film highlights Jamaica’s outlawed obeah belief system
Summary
A new Jamaican film titled *Stew Peas* explores the country’s banned spiritual practice called obeah, which combines African magic and healing. The story focuses on a detective whose husband is affected by a love spell involving a stew made with menstrual blood. The film aims to start a conversation about the conflict between Christianity and African-derived beliefs in Jamaica.Key Facts
- The film *Stew Peas* is directed by Jamaican filmmaker Sosiessia Nixon.
- Obeah is a spiritual and magical tradition banned in Jamaica since colonial times but still practiced secretly.
- The movie’s plot involves a detective, Tessa, whose husband is influenced by a love charm in stew peas containing menstrual blood.
- The practice of adding menstrual blood to stew peas is believed to “bind” a man in a relationship.
- Obeah was outlawed by European colonizers to suppress African spiritual practices and resistance among enslaved people.
- Jamaican scholar Sonjah Stanley Niaah says African spiritualities remain important yet misunderstood and neglected today.
- Producer Ava Eagle Brown mentioned the film connects Caribbean people, especially those living abroad, back to their culture.
- The film also touches on tensions between Christian beliefs and African spiritual traditions in Jamaica.
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