The River Mumma is a fierce protectress and mother, a beautiful woman but also something other, frightening, perhaps to some, even monstrous. We see these aspects of the female in other figures from legend and lore like Medusa, Babalon and more. Like I often say, folk stories always contain hints of truths at their core, like the single speck of grit at the centre of a pearl.

For me that’s a major aspect to witchcraft and indeed obeah, the serving of people when they have nowhere or no one else to turn to and it’s here where the lines between healing plants and harmful plants become blurred.

Like witches the world over, the Obeah practitioner is often viewed with both fear and awe, a part of the community, but separate from it as well. Despite the negativity in which we are often viewed, us witches are always there, ready to help when our help is needed. When there is no one else to turn to, the Obeah woman will be there waiting.