been "born with the gift". Is is taught that possession of these powers may be revealed to the individual through dreams or visions in late childhood or early adolescence. In Caribbean lore, it is sometimes believed that an Obeah practitioner will bear a physical disability, such as a blind eye, a club foot, or a deformed hand, and that their powers are a compensation for this. Traditionally, it is often believed that being an Obeah practitioner passes hereditarily, from a parent to their eldest child. Alternatively, it is believed someone may become a practitioner following a traumatic event in their life. Once they have decided to pursue the practice, a person typically becomes the apprentice of an established Obeahman or woman. According to folk tradition, this apprenticeship should take place in the forest and last for a year, a notion that derives from older African ideas. In practice, apprenticeships can last up to five or six years. A practitioners success with attracting clients is usually rooted in their reputation. Older Obeahmen/women are usually regarded more highly than younger ones. They do not normally wear special clothing to mark out their identity. In Trinidad and Tobago, 21st-century Obeah practitioners often advertise their services in the classified advert columns of newspapers. Clients will typically pay for the services of an Obeah practitioner, the size of the fee often being connected to the client's means. Healing The main social function of an Obeah practitioner is often as a herbalist. To assist with healing a client's ailments, the Obeahman/woman will often utilise baths, massages, and mixtures of various ingrediants. "Bush baths" are often applied to relieve fevers, and involve a range of different herbal ingredients placed within hot water. In Obeah traditions, plants are believed to absorb cosmic properties from the sun, moon, and planets. Divination In Guyana, South Asians have added chiromancy or palm reading to the styles of divination employed by Obeah practitioners. History Obeah practices largely derive from Ashanti origins. The Ashanti and other Tshi-speaking peoples from the Gold Coast formed the largest group of enslaved people in the British Caribbean colonies. Obeah was first identified in the British colonies of the Caribbean during the 17th century. In parts of the Caribbean where Obeah developed, enslaved people were taken from a variety of African nations with differing spiritual practices and religions. It is from these arrivals and their spiritualisms that the