As the nation becomes more secular, many Jamaicans are no longer hiding their interactions with the dark world of the occult.
Seeking love, money or protection, Jamaicans are increasingly purchasing “loaded” rings from self-proclaimed spiritualists or spiritual advisors online.
These peddlers of loaded rings have found a ready market in a public space, where their services are being offered unchecked and unrestricted.
One ring peddler located in Manchester bragged that his rings are loaded with powers from the ancestors. As part of his marketing strategy, he provides reviews from enthusiastic customers on his Facebook page. In one of the reviews, a man shares that having purchased his loaded ring, he has acquired two vehicles in the space of three months.
“Give God thanks man, and its nice and it clean, just gwaan do the right man, you know what to do already, you done know how the thing go, straight upgrade,” the ring peddler said, in response to a voice note from his customer.
The guard ring peddler makes it clear that he only sells loaded rings after displaying a wide range of the shiny jewellery, which, at a glance, looks like any other ring sold at a jewellery store with coloured stones and insignia.
“To work with graveyard spirits, you must be obedient, and you must learn to listen. You can work with the dead and have a lot of success. The dead can bring you a lot of success. They can be mean, they can be kind, they can be loving; it all depends on you, what you are doing and the spiritualist you are working with. Some dead must be left alone; not every dead you fi trouble either. So for those who like to work with the dead, nothing is wrong with that, but you must know what you are doing, you must be conscious of what you are doing and you must be a disciplined person,” said the ring peddler, who said he loves working with the dead.
While the online market booms, a number of jewellery stores across the island have also got into the action. One well-known jewellery store in Spanish Town, St Catherine, announced a Black Friday sale on their silver guard rings a few years ago on TikTok. A wide assortment of rings were on display and were labelled as guard rings. Several persons made enquiries under the post and expressed an interest in purchasing one.
With mainstream jewellery stores selling these rings, they have become even more accessible to the average Jamaicans who want the promised benefits but do not want to interact directly with an obeahman.
Both adults seeking wealth and children, seeking protection from other students at school, are among the customers of guard ring peddlers.
In 2022, a William Knibb Memorial High School student was killed by a male schoolmate over a guard ring. The 16-year-old student was later charged with murder.
