Award-winning Jamaican filmmaker Sosiessia Nixon has released a new film that explores Jamaica’s enduring tradition of obeah—a spiritual healing practice rooted in West African magic.
Her tense, feature-length suspense film Stew Peas follows Jamaican detective Tessa, who becomes obsessed with an old murder case. Tessa’s life starts to unravel when she realizes her husband, Neil, has fallen under the influence of her new maid, Marcia. The story takes a dark turn with the shocking discovery that Marcia has been adding a secret ingredient to Neil’s food: her menstrual blood.
“This film focuses on the persistent Jamaican belief in obeah—that a woman can ‘bind’ a man in a relationship by serving him a traditional kidney bean and meat stew, which becomes a powerful love potion when mixed with her menstrual blood,” Nixon said.
Nixon hopes the movie will spark conversations about the tension between Christianity and obeah, a practice rooted in Jamaica’s African heritage. Despite being outlawed by colonizers in the 1700s and still illegal today, obeah continues to be practiced.
“The idea of binding a man with stew peas is still very much taboo in Jamaica, and I wanted to open up a conversation. I wanted to explore this belief system in depth. Jamaicans often say that belief kills and belief cures—meaning whatever you believe will happen, does. So, does this thing really work?” Nixon said.
Growing up in St. Thomas, a peaceful coastal parish on Jamaica’s southeastern tip sometimes called the “obeah parish,” Nixon said she drew inspiration from real-life experiences. “I was very exposed to a lot of obeah growing up in St. Thomas,” she said.
Producer and actor Ava Eagle Brown, who founded Jamaica’s Black River Film Festival, believes the film will resonate with Caribbean people everywhere. “There’s so much of us in this film—the things that make us Jamaican, especially if you’re part of the diaspora… it brings you back home,” she said.
Brown, who also appears in the film, added with a laugh: “It’s probably going to make some men look at their partners suspiciously and ask, ‘What did you put in my stew peas?’ But seriously, I told my son to make sure he doesn’t eat any stew peas from any woman!”
Sonjah Stanley Niaah, a Jamaican cultural studies scholar and director of the University of the West Indies’ Centre for Reparation Research, said the stew peas belief is tied to the African view that natural elements—including menstrual blood—have inherent power. She explained that red kidney beans are used to mask the blood so the man being charmed doesn’t notice it.
Stanley Niaah welcomed the chance to explore African spiritual practices, which she said are often misunderstood. These traditions were vilified and outlawed by European colonizers, who linked them to resistance and rebellions among enslaved Africans.
“People in this part of the world are of African descent, and we carry a rich tradition of African spirituality in our blood—it’s something we’ve inherited. But today, African spirituality gets no attention or recognition. It’s not taught in schools. We’re so afraid of ourselves that we neglect it,” she said.
She added: “There’s a deep, ongoing tension between Christian practices and African spirituality. Enslavement was sanctioned by the church, so much of the legal framework in the Caribbean was designed to prevent enslaved people from gathering—whether to worship their gods or plan rebellions. That legal framework is still present today, as seen in Jamaica’s Obeah Act, which remains on the books.”
Jamaica must continue making films that boldly represent its regions, communities, and cultures, even as it faces tough challenges like rebuilding after Hurricane Melis.Stanley Niaah spoke. Brown, who had to cancel this year’s film festival after Hurricane Melissa destroyed parts of Black River—where the event is usually held—agreed with Stanley Niaah. She called Stew Peas “a ray of hope” as Jamaica’s billion-dollar creative industry struggles to recover.
“This year I had to postpone the Black River film festival, which was a real setback because it was helping Jamaican creatives connect with the world, including contacts from major networks like Canal+ and Netflix,” she said.
She added: “The hurricane destroyed so much! It ruined infrastructure, equipment, and for some people, it crushed their hope. That’s why we need projects like this—they show the resilience of Jamaicans and send a message to the world that we’re still making music and movies, adding that unique Jamaican green, gold, and black touch to entertainment.”
Jamaica’s film commissioner, Jackie Jacqueline Jackson, said films like Stew Peas are “a powerful testament to the resilience, creativity, and determination of Jamaica’s creative industry.”
“It’s important to keep going and show that Jamaica is still open for business. By sending this message, we encourage international productions to return to Jamaica, which positively impacts jobs and spending on film production,” she added.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the film Bound by Blood and Jamaicas banned Obeah belief system written in a natural conversational tone
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What exactly is Obeah
Obeah is a traditional spiritual practice from Jamaica that involves folk magic healing and using herbs Its often used for protection love revenge or to bring good luck Think of it as a mix of ancestral beliefs herbalism and ritual
2 Is Obeah illegal in Jamaica
Yes Obeah is technically a crime under Jamaican law with roots in colonialera laws designed to suppress African spiritual traditions People can still be fined or jailed for practicing it
3 What is the film Bound by Blood about
Its a new documentary or film that explores the hidden world of Obeah in Jamaica It shows how the practice survives despite being banned and tells the stories of real people who use it or are affected by it
4 Why is Obeah banned if its part of Jamaican culture
The ban comes from British colonial rule The British saw Obeah as a threat because it united enslaved Africans and was used in rebellion The law stuck around even after independence partly due to stigma and fear
5 Is Obeah the same as voodoo
No but theyre cousins Both come from West African spiritual traditions but Obeah is specific to Jamaica and the Englishspeaking Caribbean Voodoo is from Haiti and has a more organized religious structure
Intermediate Questions
6 How does the film challenge common stereotypes about Obeah
The film shows Obeah not as black magic or evil but as a complex belief system used for everyday problemslike healing sickness finding lost items or resolving conflicts It humanizes the practitioners
7 Who still practices Obeah today
Mostly rural Jamaicans but also some urban dwellers and even people in the diaspora Practitioners are often called Obeah men or Obeah women They keep it secret because of the law and social stigma
8 What are some common rituals or tools used in Obeah
Common items include candles herbs oils animal bones feathers and written psalms or prayers
