NGA: The Art of Romare Bearden - An Obeah Princess; Her Loa Leaves at Dawn, 1984

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[image] An Obeah Princess; Her Loa Leaves at Dawn, 1984

Romare Bearden, An Obeah Princes; Her Loa Leaves at Dawn, 1986
watercolor and ink on paper
Collection of Stan and Marguerite Lathan
© Romare Bearden Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, N.Y.

The roots of the Obeah people on St. Martin can be traced back to Africa and are probably of Ashanti and Dahomeyan origin. The Loa is a god associated with voodoo practice who takes on various forms, from the demonic to that of a beneficent guide.