Professor
Myal Djumboh Cassecanarie, Obeah Simplified, The True Wanga,
Afterword
by Christopher Josiffre, Society of Esoteric Endeavour, 2018. Hardback 139pp. Numbered
limited edition of 193 copies.
Contents:-
Adverts
Preface. To the
reader
Chapter I.
Definitions
Chapter II.
Initiation, Kanji Stones, Protection of Fields etc.
Chapter III.
Excitement to love, Dirty Clothes Oracle, "Setting On" Jumbies,
Causing Disease etc.
Chapter IV. Use of
Spells and Incantations on Men and Animals
Chapter V. The Use of Glamour and Wanga Power, Rain
Making and Controlling Elements
Chapter VI.
Hagging, Vampires, Drawing the Shadow, Lycanthropy, Silk Cotton Tree
Chapter VII. Fair Maids, Nature-Spirits, Virtuas.
Chapter
VIII. Theopea: Modus Operandi of certain
Ancient Feats
Chapter
IX Ancient Sorcery, Superstition, Mamans Dijou, Livre Rouge, Conclusion
Adverts
Christopher
Josiffre - Afterword
Introduction
Influence
upon Aleister Crowley
Sympathetic
Portrayal of Obeah
Identity
of Cassecanarie
Concluding
Remarks
Endnotes
Appendices
Shamanism
and Witchcraft Amongst the Kolararian Tribes by Miad Koyora Koria Hon,
African
Magic by Tau-Triadelta
Varieties
of African Magic Parts I and II by Miad Hoyora Korahon
The
True Wanga - Marginalia, Underlinings and Other Markings in the Warburg Copy
This
work was first published in 1895 in Trinidad and achieved instant obscurity,
However, it seems that a bell was rung somewhere as 9 years later, on 8th April
1904 Aiwass instructed Crowley that, as well as the mantras and spells and the
work of the wand and the sword, he should learn and teach "the obeah and
the wanga" (Liber Al vel Legis /
The Book of the Law, Chapter 1 verse 37)
At
that time, and for a very long time afterwards, the only sympathetic text by a
self identified practitioner of Obeah was this work. It was the only book with
the more obscure term "Wanga" in the title. It almost as if Aiwass
was referring Crowley to this publication!
There
is good reason to believe that Crowley was aware of the publication. There is
an annotated copy of Obeah Simplified in the Yorke Collection at the Warburg
Institute. The annotations, appear to emphasise parts of the text which
particularly resonates with Crowley's writings. The Afterword and appendices
reproduce or describe all the annotations and underlining, and presents expert
judgement as to whether they are in Crowley's hand. The matter remains an
enigma. Readers are given all the information so that they can judge the issue
for themselves.
So
what do we know of the author. The title page tells us a great deal, and very
little. He is described as:-
Prof.
Dr. Myal Djumboh Cassecanarie, Sc. U. D. etc.
It
goes on to note that his academic position is Professor of Pneumatics at the T’changa Wanga
University. His doctorate is vaguer, but he described as "Quimboiseur to
His Excellency the Ex-President of Haiti", an obscure office that can be
translated from the French as "Voodoo Sorcerer" with an emphasis upon
herbcraft (or poisons). The title page also identifies him "Chevalier de
l'Ordre du Vodun Saint des Egbas". or Knight of the Order of the Holy
Voodoo of the Egbas, an ethnic group
found in modern Nigeria, many of whom were taken as slaves to the Caribbean. It
is noted that he is a member of the principal West African and West Indian
Scientific Societies.
The author is here expressing a tremendous
enthusiasm and affinity for African Diaspora magic, perhaps enriched with some
imagination, that was unknown in print at the time, or - indeed - for many
decades afterwards. It should be emphasised that Obeah was usually
"resistance magic", a response by people who, denied political,
economic or military power, utilise magical glamours to obtain influence. Hence
it was closely associated with rebellion and was made illegal and vociferously
persecuted by the imperial powers. Whenever Obeah was mentioned in books, it
was described in extremely negative terms. Except in this work.
The legal situation regarding the practice of obeah
in 19th Century Trinidad may be a factor in the author's use of a pseudonym.
Christopher Josiffe, in Aleister Crowley, Marie de Miramar and the True Wanga,
Abrasax No.4 established that the author also penned a series of works in
Theosophical journals as Miad Hoyora. It seemed then that he was an Indian
Theosophist who had moved to the Caribbean. The present work carries a
substantial Afterword by Christopher which permits him to develop his research
to reveal that the author was, in fact, a Scot called Ewen! He was a
Theosophist who had worked as a chemist in India and then in Caribbean. It seems that wherever he went he showed
great empathy for the darker skinned people around him. Whilst in India he
wrote about the religious beliefs of the Koi people, hunter gatherers lived in
the forests in the south and east. They were not Hindus and were believed by
many to be the remnants of the original inhabitants of India. This article is
reproduced in the Appendices of the book.
When
describing Obeah, Ewen draws upon own experience, personal informants as well
as previously published accounts of Obeah but he attacks the Christian bias of
those authors, sometimes vociferously. He passionately advocates Obeah, urging
that it be taught in schools though he does recognise that there can be
malpractice. Some traditions he describes, including a whole order of noble spirits
that are, it seems, described nowhere else.
Aside
from Obeah, Ewen also wrote about African magic and this two part article is
also reproduced. Amongst Theosophical circles his interest in the magic of the peoples
of Africa was almost unique, but not quite. There was one other contributor who
also wrote about the subject and with whom Ewen crossed pens. He wrote under
the pseudonym Tau-Triadelta and his article too is reproduced in the Appendices
as Ewen refers to it in his own writings. We learn from Mr. Josiffre's
Afterword that Crowley knew of this gentleman. In fact the Beast suggested he
was Jack the Ripper! Some modern ripperologists also now consider him the
to be the most likely candidate.
The
Book's Appearance.
Care
has been taken to follow the visual context in which the original texts
appeared. Obeah Simplified had a striking cover illustration. Expert book
designers have cast doubt on the surmised 1895 publication date as the
illustration looks more like 1930s pulp fiction with its electric flashes and
populist occult imagery than a Victorian booklet. However the 1895 date is
indeed correct, it is just that the design is surprisingly prescient.
The
white on black design is visually impressive. There are traditions in
Scandinavia and France that this juxtaposition of colours, the most basic of
flashing colours, is the preferred format for magical books. If one stares at
it long enough and closes ones eyes an after image can be glimpsed. This effect
is emulated in the black on black printing of the endpapers.
The back endpaper
shows the Society of Esoteric Endeavour symbol. likewise reproduced:-
In
copies numbered 1 - 129n as well as the printed endpapers shown above, there
are also additional embossed endpapers
chosen to harmonise with the lush text decorations and illuminated capitals
used in the original (and reproduced here).
Whilst,
for the sake of clarity, the text has been entirely reset, all the format, decorations,
and typesetting quirks of the original have been retained. This includes
continental style layout with the contents page at the back, and artefact of
the cosmopolitan nature of Caribbean culture.
The original booklet carried adverts that are
a surprising accompaniment for a book on obeah as they feature some very
expensive items. These are reproduced here because they are so unexpected. A
reminder that there was a lot of wealth in the Caribbean colonies which were
also technically advanced with electronic communications and motor vehicles
(mentioned in the adverts), more so than many regions of the British Isles. No
doubt this contrasted acutely with the lives of Obeah practitioners. This
juxtaposition of great wealth and immense poverty is, very much, the context
for the development of obeah. So better to reproduce these original adverts,
than contrive some modern book design.
The
supporting texts in the appendices are also reproduced with the original visual
context of the journals that carried them - the art nouveau masthead of the
Theosophist and the striking blue illustrated cover of Lucifer.
The
bindings.
Numbers
1 - 55 have a full leather binding, embossed endpapers and printed endpapers.
These are priced at £75
Numbers
56 - 129 look quite similar but feel very different having a cloth binding,
embossed endpapers and printed endpapers. These are priced at £55
Numbers
130 to 193 have a cloth binding and printed endpapers. The are priced at £45
Insured
postage is extra at cost:-
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Rest
of the World (except) £15.15
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and New Zealand £15.80
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