Ten, Ten The Bible Ten : Obeah in the Bahamas

Dr. Timothy McCartney
Nassau: Timpaul Publishing (1976)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am indeed obligated to many people, directly and indirectly for helping me in the writing of this book. It is not possible for me to indicate every suggestion or assistance that interested people have given me.

Without the aid of Mrs. Gail Saunders, the Archivist, much of the material on the historical development of the Bahamas could not have been written. Antonnia Canzoneri, Bob Green, Rodney Smith, Sylvia Fernandez, Henry Podlewski, Edna Minaya, Sandra Dean and her mother, Miriam Dean, found books, articles, and obeah materials for me. Verona Ashman from the Institute of Jamaica, and Antonio Diaz Royo from the Caribbean Centre of Advanced Studies in Puerto Rico, were very helpful in sending the relevant material. Community and
Public Health nurses from my class at the School of Nursing Education, and my students of Psychology from the Extramural Department of the University of the West Indies, collected most of the stories and superstitions related.

Horace Wright of the Ministry of Education and Culture and his staff at the Audio Visual Centre were always.most helpful in obtaining and making tapes with information on aspects of Bahamian obeah. Mrs. Alexander Slorach kindly allowed me the use of her tape recorder.

Etienne Dupuch, Jr., and his staff, found issues of the Bahamas Handbook with articles on obeah. Mrs. Dupuch very kindly allowed me to utilize all their research facilities at their offices in Oakes Field. I am very thankful to them all.

Ann Duggan did most of the research in looking up old manuscripts and photocopying articles for me. Ann, unfortunately, abruptly gave up this research because an obeah practitioner warned her that she was highly susceptible to obeah and that she should discontinue!

My friends Brian Humblestone, Clement Bethel, Niki Kelly, David Bethel, P. Anthony White, Fred Fleischer, Elizabeth Nathaniels, Orde Coombs, Reggie Dumont, Compton Haynes, Chris Finlayson, Michael Beaubrun, William Thompson, Phyllis White, Telzena Coakley, Anthony Dean, Joan Lunn, Laura Ritchie, Mary Kelly, Michael Symonette, Sandra Knowles, Sylvia Cole-Tierney, Hal Leyland, Cleveland Eneas, Sr., Daphne Wallace-Whitfield, Jackie
Mycklewhyte, Sheryl Taylor, Leotha Miller and Carolyn Davis have all been helpful in some way.

I am grateful to the Ministry of Tourism, and Mrs. Helena Lightbourne of "The
Photographers" for the photographic illustrations in this book.

I have particular affection for Sam and Oris Grahme, Cyril and Pearl Joseph, Arthur and Sheila Hailey and Wilfred and Emma Lou Bowe for their constant support and encouragement.

I am indebted to Mrs. Gloria Frey for typing part of the manuscript and volunteering her help at a time when it was desperately needed.

To Mrs. Madeline Robertson goes the credit for typing most of the manuscript. Her 'eye for detail' and patience in 'deciphering ' my horrible penmanship, and putting up with all the many changes in the script, deserves the highest commendation. /

The dedication of this work goes to my children Lawrence, Angela, Lorraine and Sean, who suffered many deprivations—especially on weekends and holidays —while I was writing this book.

The inspiration of my life. though, and the person that helped me make my writing happen, is my beautiful wife Pauline. She typed some of the manuscript, proof read it, criticized it and was there to comfort me during my many frustrations. This small recognition of her help expresses inadequately my deep gratitude to her for her sacrifices, co-operation and constant support to my profession and my writings.

TIMOTHY McCARTNEY

NASSAU, BAHAMAS
28 September, 1975