Obia (folklore)
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An obia or obeah is a monster in West African folklore. It is described as being a massive animal that witches send into villages to kidnap young girls and wear their skin for a coat.
It is also the common term in the Bay Islands of Honduras for a witch or the spell that is cast by the witch. This is most likely a traditional Garifuna word.
An obiama or obiaman is one who uses the power of obia.
Edwards's History of the British Colonies in the West Indies, published in 1793, reports the best account of obeah in Jamaica. The term obeah or obia has become a popular term in Jamaica used to describe Africans on the island that practice witchcraft. It is considered to be a practice of supernatural craft, learned through connection with the devil, that allows a person to kill or as a way to receive wealth, power, or revenge on one's enemies. From testimony of all Africans on the island, it is said that the possessors of obi have always been natives of Africa, having brought the arts with them to Jamaica where it was universally practiced on a few large estates. Africans or Creoles respect, consult, and fear the obeah folklore; they hold faith to these prophecies and call upon them to cure disorders, obtain revenge, help with favors, punish thieves or adulterers, and predict future events.[1]