Bound by blood: new film highlights Jamaica’s outlawed obeah belief system
A new film titled Stew Peas explores the Jamaican belief system of obeah, which has been outlawed since the 1700s. Directed by Sosiessia Nixon, the film tells the story of a detective whose life unravels due to the influence of a maid practicing this traditional magic. Nixon aims to spark dialogue about the tensions between Christianity and African spiritual practices in Jamaica.
- ▪Stew Peas is a feature-length film that highlights the Jamaican obeah belief system.
- ▪The film's plot revolves around a detective whose husband falls under the spell of a maid using traditional magic.
- ▪Nixon hopes to initiate conversations about the cultural significance and taboo surrounding obeah in Jamaica.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — World |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/30/stew-pews-film-obeah-jamaica-magic-tradition |
| Publication time | Sat, 30 May 2026 11:00:18 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-30T11:12:09.147Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A still from Stew Peas. Photograph: Danangelowe "artboii" Spencer/DAJS Visuals 2025View image in fullscreenA still from Stew Peas. Photograph: Danangelowe "artboii" Spencer/DAJS Visuals 2025JamaicaBound by blood: new film highlights Jamaica’s outlawed obeah belief systemStew Peas focuses on obeah, an enduring African magic practice in Jamaica banned by colonisers in the 1700sNatricia Duncan in KingstonSat 30 May 2026 07.00 EDTLast modified on Sat 30 May 2026 07.02 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleA new movie from award-winning Jamaican film-maker Sosiessia Nixon shines a spotlight on Jamaica’s enduring west African-based magic and spiritual healing tradition known as obeah.Nixon’s tense, feature-length suspense, Stew Peas, tells of the story of Jamaican detective Tessa, who is…
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