Award-winning Jamaican filmmaker Sosiessia Nixon is using her new thriller Stew Peas to examine the enduring influence of obeah. This West African-derived spiritual tradition was outlawed by British colonial authorities in the 1700s and remains illegal today. The film follows detective Tessa, whose marriage unravels after her husband falls under the spell of their maid. It is later revealed that the maid had been serving him stew peas laced with her menstrual blood, a love-binding ritual rooted in obeah. Nixon says the story explores the uneasy relationship between Christianity and African spirituality, a tension rooted in Jamaica’s colonial past. Cultural scholars argue that obeah and related traditions have long been misunderstood and stigmatized despite their deep historical significance. Supporters hope the project will encourage wider conversations about heritage, belief systems, and cultural identity across the Caribbean.
The Guardian
