TYING/BINDING SOMEONE TO YOU, A TALE OF OBEAH/JUJU

I didn’t know that I had a sister from my father, I had no idea while growing up. The first time I heard her name mentioned I was surprised. I had no idea that daddy had a life before with anyone beside my mom. He mentioned that I had a sister named Donnette, and he said he missed her but he had nothing to do with the mother so it was so sad that he could not visit or see her. He was talking to his friend at the time under the mango tree next door, smoking a spliff while I sucked my thumb and laid on his lap. I looked up and asked him if it was true that I had a sister, and he nodded and answered yes Nunu (which was what he affectionately called me as a child), one day you will meet her, he said, I smiled as I laid back on his chest, thrust my finger back into my mouth and smiled at the thought of a sister, possibly this one would be a nice sister. Later that day, Miss Ruth was visiting as usual and she and my mom were on the veranda talking, mama had just finished cooking and as usual Miss Ruth was having her belly full. It was Wednesday, Stew Peas day, and Miss Ruth was hungrily sucking on a piece of Pig’s tail when I blurted out, “Mama, why yuh neva tell mi dat daddy have anedda daughter”, Miss Ruth with her ever sharp ears began coughing on the pig’s tail bone as she looked up at mama as if to say what? Mama was visibly embarrassed and gave me THAT look, which said, “watch me and you later.”

Of course Miss Ruth looked toward my mom for confirmation of what I had blurted and my embarrassed mom decided that she would explain. Eager to hear, with no thought of the boofing (licks) I would receive later when Ruth left, I sat down on the veranda with my trusty comforting thumb and looked straight into my moms face not wanting to miss anything she was about to say, ignoring her cut eyes. Mama told Miss Ruth a story I have never forgotten to this day. Mama spoke in hushed tones, because her arch enemy Miss Will  was under the mango tree in the front of the yard, far away from us, but mama was very secretive and took no chances of Hilda Willis hearing her business, knowing that if she did, the whole Kingston 13 would know it in less than an hour. Mama said that daddy, before he met my mom was living with his baby mother in Clarendon, Jamaica. They had a little girl who they named Donnette. One day my father dressed for a domino tournament, which he was very good at, while the woman prepared Sunday dinner in the kitchen. By the time he was dressed and ready, he had no time to eat because he would be late and he could not afford to do so. He kissed the baby who was just a little past a year old, and told the woman bye and he left. Mama said my father realized after he had left that he did not bring something which was important for him to bring to the tournament, so he returned home. He entered the house and saw the baby sleeping on the bed, he looked around and the woman was not in the house, so he decided to go out side to the kitchen, this was rural Jamaica and the kitchen was outside the house as was the bathroom. He had retrieved what he went back for but out of courtesy he wanted her to know he had returned. Daddy went to the kitchen and as he approached, his mind told him to peep through the window first before he went in.

They were the only couple who lived there. No neighbor was close for miles,  daddy peeped through the window and saw the woman in squat position over the pot of Rice and peas. She wore a very long gown and she was repeating something from a piece of paper written in red. Shocked at what he was seeing, his Sunday dinner being violated in such a disgusting manner, because according mama, daddy said he saw a discarded underwear close by, Daddy said he was frozen for a minute. Daddy forced himself to move and he shakily and angrily stormed the kitchen to a now frightened Juju worker. Daddy then took up his machete which was in the kitchen and according to what he told mama he went to the side of the house and began to dig, he did not know what compelled to do this but he could not stop himself from digging and then, bingo! He found a glass jar, wrapped up in news paper, he removed the paper, all this while the woman was bawling and begging him to stop which he ignored. He unwrapped the newspaper and the once clear jar was black from within. My father opened the jar which emitted a foul odor, he emptied out the contents and he saw hair, plenty of it, his picture and hers also, what seemed like toe nails among other unrecognizable things. By this time the realization had hit my father that this was Obeah in front of him and he was the victim. He made a decision which would change the life of not only him but also an innocent child. He left. Never to return, No visit to the daughter or the the mother. Although it pained him, after all Donnette was his first child, physical evidence of him being able to produce and contribute to the worlds society, he made a decision never to go near that woman or have any interaction with her again, the sacrifice for his decision was Donnette. Mama said he comforted him self, by saying, one day they would find each other and he would explain.

This kind of Obeah is common practice everywhere and in every ethnic group. Whites, Blacks, Asians and others have their own brand of medicine which they use to ‘capture’ the hearts of their intended. When this happens, the union is usually not an agreeable one, because it is a forced relationship, binded under the  magic of Juju, the altering of someones destiny. This can never be a good thing. How can a human want to interfere with God’s plan? The knowledge is there and it is very simple to do. We have free will so it is our decision to make, but why would you do something which will not only tie this person to you, but may also alter your own destiny. From my experience this never work in most cases. I have seen it done in Africa where medicine is made and and the woman’s clitoris is cut, just a  tiny incision and the medicine rubbed in the cut. Any man she had sex with would never be able to leave her, forever! Another which includes Kola nut, this is prepared with other things and given to the woman or man and powdered on the face when they know they would see the object of their desire. A glass placed strategically at the front door, and prepared with certain incantations can capture the love of who ever you want. A glass of red wine, spiritually prepared does the same. There are so many things which can be done to trick another and capture their spirit, making them spiritually beholden to you but I cannot tell enough you how much this is wrong. When Pepe came to me this was what she begged for and was very upset with me for rejecting her, read Experience Teaches Wisdom  . Imagine if Pepe had gotten her wish, she would have missed the goodness which was on its way for her. This same thing touched my life and my children when it was done to the Wicked baby father, this very same thing was done to him by the wicked woman. I have part two to this story, because I eventually met Donnette, and it was not pretty , she grew to be just as wicked as her mom, perhaps even more so! Stay tuned for PART TWO.

Ẹni bá jalè lẹ́ẹ̀kan, tó bá daṣọ àrán bo orí, aṣọ olè ló dà bora. /

Whoever steals once, even if clothed in velvet, a thief he remains……Yoruba Proverb!

[Decrying dishonest living]