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Obeah is one of the more unknown and obscure African traditions of sorcery. It is said to be traditionally started in west and north Africa by slaves. Soon moving it on to Jamaica and Trinidad- Tobago. It is assumed that the Ashanti and the Dahomeyeans are the carriers of the wisdom of Obeah. (Kalafou 1) Obeah or Obi is it self a word shrouded and obscured in secrecy. The most understandable meaning of the word can be translated into occult power meaning a powerful engine used to empower spells for witchcraft as well, as other forms for practical magic and communications with the Gods. (Shepard 1) Shepard, Leslie.
Different Religions of the World. She believes that Obeah is a good religion that can be used to help people in different ways. The Obeah it self is best seen as a multi-different source of extreme power. In a way the Obeah-men are the True Chaos-magicians since they can use any system they want and fuel it with the power of Obeah, without the danger of disrespect Obeah, a folk religion of African origin, incorporates beliefs and practices of all the immigrant groups. Obeah practitioners may be Afro-Guyanese or Indo- Guyanese, and members of all the ethnic groups consult them for help with problems concerning health, work, domestic life, and romance. Some villagers wear charms or use other folk practices to protect themselves from harm. (Austin 1) Austin, Cline.
Obeah and Amerindian Practices. Austin proves the theory of showing people the two differences between Obeah and Amerindian practices. Obeah is close to witchcraft as well, but it also includes many elements you will recognize in shamanism. This is the very core of Obeah, the shamanistic techniques that are used at initial stage of obtaining knowledge, is formally known as Voudon. The impulse of Obeah is the witchcraft- part. (Kalafou 2) Kalafou, Azoth. Obeah-Afro-Shamanistik Witchcraft.
Azoth explains Obeah the full truth, he tells the religion as it truthfully is. In Obeah related to Orisha-worship you can become an Obeah-man or Obi-man. This signifies that your pathway is particularly dark and evil. Usually the Obi-men sooner or later will move to secluded places and perform dark forms of magic, mainly connected to the dead.
The Orisha of the Obi-men are called Bones. Bones is the King of Death and has many features in common with Guide of the voudon pantheon. Another deity of great importance is Odds, which means The Black One. She is the principle balancing and most of all complementing Bones. The spirit known in the outer world as Anima Sola is also of great importance. (Kalafou 2) Orisha worship in Trinidad has two main fractions. Spiritual Orisha which are very christian in its practical way.
They also avoid blood offerings. The other one Baptist Orisha is a more pure and ancient line of Orisha-transmission who accept Blood-offerings and function very much like Orisha-worship you will meet elsewhere in the world. Still Voudon is perhaps the closest brother to Baptist Orisha. (Kalafou 3) Obeah can be viewed as, A Tower of Power, an enormous vault of intelligent power, you can communicate with mainly by using dices and candles consecrated in a special and secret way. That is why the Obi inhabitants have no problem in blending it with another tradition. In fact Obeah does need some materials to work with and to Obeah practice is very similar to voudon. But there are some differences, for instance Satan is personified in this tradition as all the princes of Hell are.
The different grimoire's are frequently used by the Obeah-men, like Grimorium Very and Gothic as well. In Obeah they consider the Book of Moses to be of great importance. Since they see Moses as the snake-charmer and among the greatest of magicians. The way the Obeah-man is a crooked one but a path that leads to attainment of self. Much of this is shrouded in secrecy and it is still and will be for a long time. This is only a taste for the truthful eyes of wisdom to get even wiser, (Kalafou 3) The Obeah men believe that if you respect the Gods that the truth shall be your light.
The Obeah has always helped them out, and although they know that people thing bad of their religion, they could care less. They believe what they have seen, and they believe the truth in Obeah. (Guiley 2) Guiley, Rosemary. Harpes Encyclopedia of Mystical and Paranormal Experience. Rosemary describes Obeah as a religion that people believe in, she simply states what Obeah is about.
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