For centuries, Jamaica has carried a spiritual inheritance it was taught to fear — the African traditions colonisers outlawed not merely on religious grounds, but because they recognized in them the seeds of resistance. Filmmaker Sosiessia Nixon's suspense thriller Stew Peas brings this suppressed world into the open, centering on obeah and the intimate ritual of binding through food, asking whether power lives in the practice itself or in the belief that animates it. Released as the island recovers from Hurricane Melissa's devastation, the film arrives as both cultural reclamation and quiet p
The Guardian
· May 30, 2026
· society
· 4 min read
High
Sourcing: Verified
Jamaican film 'Stew Peas' explores obeah tradition banned by colonisers
◉
Culture & Arts
1671 related articles
Bayreuth Festival marks 150 years with reckoning on Wagner's Nazi ties…
Deutsche Welle · 100% match
Edinburgh book festival breaks the mold with music, theatre and cross-…
The Guardian · 99% match
Venice Film Festival Takes Aim at Murdoch and Musk in Star-Studded 202…
The Guardian · 90% match
Hit teen series 'Ang Mutya ng Section E' celebrates viral success with…
The Manila Times · 90% match
Brenda Fricker, First Female Irish Oscar Winner, Dies at 81
The Guardian · 90% match
Related Coverage
The New York Times · Aug 22
Italian Novelist Portrays Family as 'Little Totalitarian System' in Provocative New Work
Andrea Bajani's latest novel portrays Italian families as "little totalitarian systems" marked by psychological and phys…
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation · Aug 22 Mundi Mundi opens gates free as weather clears after record rainsAfter record rainfall forced organizers to turn away thousands of ticketholders at Broken Hill's Mundi Mundi music festi…
ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) · Aug 22 Mundi Mundi opens gates free as sunshine saves Broken Hill festivalMundi Mundi music festival in Broken Hill offers complimentary entry on final day after record rainfall forced organizer…
Fox News · Aug 22 Statham's 'Mutiny' Delivers Predictable Action Thrills on the High SeasFox News reviews Jason Statham's latest action film "Mutiny," a high-seas thriller featuring the actor as a former cop s…
Bias & Framing
⚖
Article presents obeah tradition sympathetically as African heritage suppressed by colonialism, framing it as culturally significant despite legal prohibition, with limited counterbalancing perspectives.
Bias Direction
center-left
Confidence
MED
Postcolonial critique framing that positions obeah as legitimate cultural practice victimized by colonial oppression; emphasizes 'enduring' tradition and 'still illegal' status to highlight injustice; uses filmmaker's personal narrative to validate the practice.
shines a spotlight
enduring west African-based magic
outlawed by colonisers
still illegal today
taboo in Jamaica
things that make us Jamaican
Jamaican Christian or religious perspectives on obeah practices
Law enforcement or public health officials' rationale for current legal status
Victims' perspectives or documented harms from obeah-related practices
Academic skepticism or critical analysis of obeah efficacy claims
Voices from Jamaicans who view obeah negatively or as harmful superstition
Geopolitical Impact
🌎
Jamaican film explores obeah spiritual tradition banned by colonizers, sparking cultural dialogue about African heritage versus colonial Christian imposition with minimal geopolitical implications.
Escalation Risk
low
Confidence
HIGH
Jamaica
Caribbean diaspora communities
Soft power reclamation of African cultural heritage against colonial legacy; cultural decolonization narrative strengthening Caribbean identity and diaspora connections.
Post-colonial cultural reclamation movements across Africa and Caribbean (1960s-present) reasserting indigenous practices suppressed during colonialism.
Economic Lens
📈
Jamaican film exploring banned obeah spiritual tradition has minimal direct economic impact but signals growing cultural content market in Caribbean cinema and diaspora audiences.
Market Signal
neutral
Confidence
LOW
Film and entertainment production
Cultural tourism
Streaming and distribution platforms
Festival and exhibition venues
Consumers gain access to culturally significant Caribbean content; potential increased demand for Caribbean films and cultural experiences among diaspora communities; modest ticket sales and streaming revenue generation.
May influence cultural funding priorities toward underrepresented Caribbean narratives; potential review of outdated colonial-era laws still on books; could encourage investment in Caribbean film infrastructure and production incentives.