Meaning
Magic, a charm, or a spell — the dark, supernatural kind bound up with obeah. To 'put guzu pon' someone is to work a spell against them, and something with 'guzu' on it is believed to be cursed, bewitched, or set with a harmful working. Of West African origin, guzu belongs to the deep world of Jamaican folk belief in the unseen, in obeah and its powers, and the word carries real dread, naming the hidden magic thought to bring sickness, misfortune, or ruin upon its target.
Examples
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Dem seh him put guzu pon di house.
They say he put a spell on the house.
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Nuh badda wid no guzu.
Don't get involved with any of that magic.
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She believe inna guzu an obeah.
She believes in charms and obeah.
Origin
From a West African language, part of the obeah vocabulary carried to Jamaica by enslaved Africans; related magic-and-charm words survive across the Caribbean.
How it’s used
Belongs to the world of obeah and folk belief. Usually spoken of warily rather than casually.
Gloss adapted from A Learner's Glossary of Jamaican, Open Grammar Project, licensed under CC BY 4.0. View the source work · CC BY 4.0