Narratives of Obeah in West Indian Literature: Moving through the Margins

This book explores the representations of Obeah in West Indian Literature, which is a name used in the English/Creole-speaking Caribbean to describe various African-derived,syncretic Caribbean religious practices. It highlights how Obeah is used as a marker of Black 'folk aesthetics' in resistance to colonial ideology or in service of it. It also examines how Obeah is presented as an 'unruly narrative subject' that subverts and signifies a lasting Afro-folk sensibility within colonial and 'postcolonial writing of the West Indies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the diverse representations of Obeah, a term used in the English and Creole-speaking Caribbean to encompass a range of African-derived, syncretic Caribbean religious practices. Spanning a century of prose fiction published by West Indian authors, this study uncovers the multifaceted ways in which Obeah manifests itself across various literary works.

Obeah, a practice deeply rooted in the Caribbean and its diasporas, takes on various forms, including spell casting, the administration of baths and potions made from various oils, herbs, roots, and powders, as well as instances of spirit possession. While it is legal in most Caribbean territories, it is often associated with secrecy and taboo.

Narratives of Obeah in West Indian Literature examines fiction that utilizes Obeah as a significant marker of the Black 'folk aesthetics' that have come to define West Indian literary and cultural production. These texts explore the ways in which Obeah functions as both a resistance to colonial ideology and a tool in service of it, shaping the development of West Indian literature and culture.

By foregrounding Obeah as a social and cultural logic integral to the creation of West Indian literature and culture, this book challenges the notion of a tidy and linear narrative. It recognizes Obeah as an 'unruly narrative subject' that subverts and signifies a persistent Afro-folk sensibility within colonial and 'postcolonial writing of the West Indies.

This book will appeal to scholars and students of Caribbean Literature, Diaspora Studies, African and Caribbean Religious Studies, as well as those interested in broader dialogues of spirituality in the Black Atlantic. It provides valuable insights into the complex and multifaceted ways in which Obeah has been represented and interpreted in West Indian literature, contributing to our understanding of the region's cultural heritage and its ongoing relevance.

Weight: 463g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367786595