Obeah In Jamaica And The Bahamas

Found across the Caribbean Obeah is one of most well-known African decedent words. Obeah is still very much so a mystery today as it was in years past. Its definition and significance still cannot be explained completely and accurately by scholars. There are so many perspectives on obeah but not much evidence to support everyone’s’ views. The most common view on obeah is that it is evil in nature, devil practice or just simply a cult. Also it is viewed as an unstructured religion because it does not have traditional practices and “gods” that other religions do. During the salve era most eastern or European countries reshaped the positive outcomes obeah and changed in into something “evil”. This perception of obeah has lingered on for years

Jamaica and the Bahamas’s laws are very similar as the Bahamas adopted parts of its anti-obeah law. The Jamaican law defines obeah to “myalism”. Myalism is another form of religion of African heritage that was practiced in Jamaica and other West Indian countries. Like obeah myalism is a belief system that people go to for healing. The two were often intertwined and thought of to be the same thing. The Jamaican penal code states, “a person practising obeah” means any person who, to effect any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, or for gain, or for the purpose of frightening any person, uses, or pretends to use any occult means, or pretends to possess any supernatural power or knowledge; and “instrument of obeah” means anything used, or intended to be used by a person, and pretended by such person to be possessed of any occult or supernatural power….. Whoever, for the purpose of effecting any object, or of bringing about any event; by the use of occult means or any supernatural power or knowledge, consults any person practising obeah, or any person reputed to be a person practising obeah, or reputed to be an obeah-man, or any person who has been convicted of any offence under any enactment relating to obeah, or any person pretending to possess supernatural powers, and agrees to reward the person so consulted for such consultation, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, or to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a period not exceeding twelve months.” This part of Jamaica’s penal code is exactly the same as the Bahamas’ anti obeah laws. Thus the Bahamas has adopted the same obeah laws because Jamaica and the Bahamas were both under British rule. Obeah is defined in the Bahamas as a person who is attempting to