O.B!

 

Introduction

Duppy

Rollin Calf

River Mumma

Cotton Tree

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Sources

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The O.B! or West Indian Astrologers was a secret art and system of prediction by planetary influence. It involved the use of charms, spells,  incantatations, love presents and bewitching secrets as well as fortune telling by cards, dice, tea and coffee. There was the observation of good and ill fortune relating to the days, weeks or months of embarking on important engagements, particularly marriage.

The following are a few examples of the beliefs of O.B! about lucky days:

  • The day of the week on which you were born will always be the best day to begin any business , but not to end it; Fridays and Tuesdays are best for women, Sundays and Mondays for men.

 

  • There are three months in a year, in which it is not reckoned fortunate to enter a new house, or sign a lease; those are April, July and November; neither is the 11th of any month good for such projects.

 

  • Let women be careful what they transact in the thirty first year of their life, for it is to all females a year of importance, whether they are married or single; some great change will await them, or they will lay under peril or temptation, have a great loss or a great gain, go on an unexpected journey, or, in short, something or other remarkable is to happen, and dark complexioned women have in general fate stronger than others.

 

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