Roots (As in Obeah)

[Tropicana]

I saw a movie yesterday. I thought it was great but I was TOTALLY lost on one aspect of it. It was based on a Jamaican family living in Canada. In it there are magical references. At one point the boy puts words on cards and something on them and then puts them under something to protect his mother who is dying of sickle cell. Also, there were candles burning and he gave her something to protect her.

I was totatlly lost by this aspect of the film. Can someone please explain about this. I'll see the screenwriter/director tomorrow and I'll ask him too. I guess I should do a thread about the movie.

[evanovitch]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I saw a movie yesterday and I was TOTALLY lost. It was based on a Jamaican family living in Canada. In it there are magical references. At one point the boy puts words on cards and something on them and then puts them under something to protect his mother who is dying of sickle cell. Also, there were candles burning and he gave her something to protect her.

I was totatlly lost. <span style="font-weight: bold">I'll see the screenwriter/direct tomorrow and ask him. I</span> guess I should do a thread about the movie. </div></div>

u a real sample fi true...all dat fi juss able fi u trow een dat pawt dont.....ur knowledge of Ja comes an goes depending on di line u tekking dat day dont

[Tropicana]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

Sukuna

[Bandana]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

[rufian]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tropicana</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sukuna </div></div>
but yu say yu go see him so why not ask him tomorrow? but me na get wa a confuse you

[Tropicana]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

I am curious about this and would like to have an answer today. Besides it's a good topic for discussion.

Re: confusion. So what's up with the cards with words on them and candle bizniz? What about the stone that was given to the mother to protect her and later a sea shell. Is that what they call &quot;guard&quot;? How is that supposed to work?

[rufian]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

Well first off let me kind of sort out what I know and I dont know. These belief systems have a lot of influences, as a matter of fact the more foreign influence the more power is perceived to be had. Some throw in christianity, some candle and the saints, some gypsy card reading and on and on etc.
If it is roots work you are talking about then I wouldnt say that is obeah. Because the person I know from used to be keen on separating necromancy, witchcraft and obeah, for what you mentioned you can just call that witchcraft

For me to place anything you are saying, please provide a short scene with details of what was done.

[Tropicana]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

They referred to it as roots. What's the difference between roots work and obeah. I think it was the same thing.

Okay I'll see what I can remember. The boy was with one of his friends. They both called out random words and wrote each word on a card. They lit candles and then they placed the words underneath different things, for example a lamp.

The other scenes the boy had in the first scene a stone of some kind and in the second a small shell. He put something around it, a pattern like some kind of a star but not really. He lit candles. Then he put some lace cloth over the whole thing. Said some words (don't recall) and gave the object to his mother.

Now what is interesting is that the mother in the story is from Jamaica and she was raised in Canada (based on her accent). The boy was born in Canada and had never been to Jamaica. Charles Officer who wrote the screenplay and directed the movie was born in Canada. His parents are from the West Indies but I don't remember if it's Jamaica. I vaguely remember his ex saying his parents were from somewhere else but I could be wrong. As far as I know he was raised in Canada. I don't know if he lived in Jamaica. He can do a perfect Jamaican accent when im ready. Anyway, I am surprised that he would have knowledge of these things since he obviously spent most of his life in Canada. Either that or he really did his homework. He said the boy is loosely based on his upbringing. I am kind of surprised that the boy in the story would have this kind of knowledge.

Anyway, based on what I said, please explain what you think was going on. Oh one more thing. He was making mobiles one with crescent moon shapes, I guess because his mother had sickle cell anemia and the other using the cranes that Japanese people make for good luck.

[rufian]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

You will have to ask somebody else about the roots work/Jamaica but it is definitely not obeah. I knew of people who brought it down from the states and use it as a quick launch along with De Laurence products.

I would say it is just fiction and he is just making an impression. In my raw words this look like some mumbo jumbo from tv as it is.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Okay I'll see what I can remember. The boy was with one of his friends. They both called out random words and wrote each word on a card. They lit candles and then they placed the words underneath different things, for example a lamp.</div></div>
seems like tarot or related
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
The other scenes the boy had in the first scene a stone of some kind and in the second a small shell. He put something around it, a pattern like some kind of a star but not really. He lit candles. Then he put some lace cloth over the whole thing. Said some words (don't recall) and gave the object to his mother.
</div></div>
look like tarot again

[Wahalla]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

A kanadian interpretation / extrapolation of a half remebered folk memory... A combination of delarwrence rictual....

It reminds of the rictual where words - breath was seen as powerful magical... Where the supplicant would imbibe some extracts of certain roots/ barks/ rotten snake eggs/ gunpowder / johncrow batty... if I remeber the roots include night shade and fustic.. This would induce a near hypnotic state.. This coupled with chanting would allow the spirts to take over the body.. who would (Basically they would get into the spirit as you christians call it).. The spirit would give instructions....The idea you would capture the breath in a container bottle // or gourd at the critical moment that the hosts loses consiousness.. then make the sick person swallow the breath taking the spirt who would cure then leave....The idea is as old as time much like teh same thing as the mediums at silwa... different culture same thing...

Still what would a Taino know??? obeah / voodoo is a black ting right ?????

[Tropicana]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

You once confesed you have some African blood. One drop rule rules. You're Black.

Okay so this is deLawrence not obeah or roots. Do you know the difference between roots and obeah Wahalla? I was told that deLawrence is basically vodoo by mail. I wonder if they do it by e-mail. I know a relative told me that when when she was a little girl there was someone in their town who was supposed to be &quot;studying deLawrence&quot;. The children were afraid to go near the place. Supposedly there was a pile or rocks that had formed from rocks dropping from no where. She said she peeked through the gate once and say no pile. Frankly it was probably the school children throwing the stone.

Okay so back to the movie. Since this is a Canadian born kid of a Jamaican born Canadian raised mother, he has just taken little bits and pieces of what he has heard and put them together. Okay I get it. Still, it would be good to know what this is all based on.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> In my raw words this look like some mumbo jumbo from tv as it is.
</div></div>

None of this sounds familiar to you either eh Sukuna?

[rufian]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

check tarot me tell you. yu hard fe hear e?

you just cant ask what is obeah or any of this, neither can you ask what the difference is.

who know what it is will never ask. and who tell dont know.
in the past i have attempted to put it into words but it cant be done.

[rufian]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A kanadian interpretation / extrapolation of a half remebered folk memory... A combination of delarwrence rictual....

It reminds of the rictual where words - breath was seen as powerful magical... Where the supplicant would imbibe some extracts of certain roots/ barks/ rotten snake eggs/ gunpowder / johncrow batty... if I remeber the roots include night shade and fustic.. This would induce a near hypnotic state.. This coupled with chanting would allow the spirts to take over the body.. who would (Basically they would get into the spirit as you christians call it).. The spirit would give instructions....The idea you would capture the breath in a container bottle // or gourd at the critical moment that the hosts loses consiousness.. then make the sick person swallow the breath taking the spirt who would cure then leave....The idea is as old as time much like teh same thing as the mediums at silwa... different culture same thing...

Still what would a Taino know??? obeah / voodoo is a black ting right ????? </div></div>
Of course these are ours. Every group of people seem to have their own abstraction converted into the physical at an abstract level before the white man introduced the world of evidences and separated all the sciences. We and many other cultures seem to have all our sciences in one place.
I see that language also put a lot of us off. Take like &quot;the spirit come and tell me&quot;, some idiots think is a real spirit come and tell de smaddi a wa dem mean and dem will go on how spirit can talk and on and on. The whole thing is very simple but very complex at the same time.

Roots work is not just using roots, that is in all. Me na look too far. root work

[Nylah]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


Take like &quot;the spirit come and tell me&quot;, some idiots think is a real spirit come and tell de smaddi a wa dem mean and dem will go on how spirit can talk and on and on.

</div></div>

Okay, I have to ask if the above is the case then how does it tie to this statement?

The practice of Hoodoo is to allow common people access <span style="font-weight: bold">to the Ancestors of the spirit world to </span>improve their daily lives. Hoodoo contains within it divination, <span style="font-weight: bold">conjuring of spirits</span>, magic for gambling and luck, amulets, talisman, and necromancy.

where lies the difference?

[rufian]

Re: Roots (As in Obeah)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Nylah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sukuna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


Take like &quot;the spirit come and tell me&quot;, some idiots think is a real spirit come and tell de smaddi a wa dem mean and dem will go on how spirit can talk and on and on.

</div></div>

Okay, I have to ask if the above is the case then how does it tie to this statement?

The practice of Hoodoo is to allow common people access <span style="font-weight: bold">to the Ancestors of the spirit world to </span>improve their daily lives. Hoodoo contains within it divination, <span style="font-weight: bold">conjuring of spirits</span>, magic for gambling and luck, amulets, talisman, and necromancy.

where lies the difference? </div></div>
But that is exactly what I am saying. You can even replace Hoodoo with Obeah in that sentence.
Which difference?

You can create spirits in many ways and that have nothing to do with Obeah, it can however be used in it.