Voodoo Dolls, Voodoo, And The Spirit World

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Hollywood paints Voodoo Dolls as sinister tools of vengeance. Haunted dolls that are used for malicious intent. Spiritual torture devices that allow the user to enact revenge on virtually anyone. No matter where they are. With the prick of a pin, the magic of Voodoo manifests the pain of being stabbed in the individual the doll represents.

As this person tumbles forward, clawing at the deluge of pin-pricks assaulting their body, they feel a devilish cackle escape their throat. Does this mystical power allow you to do the impossible and manifest venomous hate toward your most wretched foe?

No, actually. It doesn’t.

There are a few misconceptions about Voodoo and the horror genre’s favorite pincushion dolls. Most have altered the reality of the ancient art to fit a more blood-spilling narrative. That’s not to say there isn’t an inherent eeriness to Voodoo dolls, and maybe there is an opportunity for ne’er-do-wells to use them for villainous intentions.

However, the real history of this seemingly creepy doll is probably not quite as dark as you would have expected. Join US Ghost Adventures in New Orleans for a Voodoo and Vampire tour to learn more about this mysterious religion.

What is Voodoo?

Hollywood often depicts Voodoo as having ties to enslaved zombies and all manner of darkness, but that’s just pop culture running with antiquated concepts and slightly bigoted perceptions.

Voodoo, or more traditionally Voudou, is so much more than magic and devilry. It is a religion, like any other, with a set of beliefs developed through a melding of Roman Catholicism and the teachings of West African culture. Voodoo has roots in the African slave trade, specifically the Fon, Kongo, and Yoruba people ferried to Hispaniola as early as the 16th century.

History of Voodoo

The French colonists controlling parts of Hispaniola, specifically a region known as Saint-Domingue, were practicing Roman Catholics seeking to spread their religion. The beliefs of the Africans forced to live in these colonies were forbidden, but the slaves found a clever way to hang on to some of their ideals—to bring the two religions together.

Elements of Catholicism were molded to fit within the newly formed religion, specifically the Saints of the Roman Catholic Church. For Voudou followers, the Saints served a purpose, such as St. Peter (or Papa Legba in Voudou), who guarded the spirit world. Known as Iwa (or Ioa), these divine spirits were similar to the Gods of Egypt and Roman Empires, where subjects offered oblations in the form of food and beverages.

Before long, the Voudou followers pushed back against their French oppressors on Hispaniola. Now, former African slaves were free to develop their own nation on half of the island. This became the site of modern-day Haiti.

Within the established beliefs of Voudou were artifacts and objects of power that contemporaries latched onto and distorted into horror stories and tales of grizzly revenge. Most prominent among them is the Voodoo doll, an otherwise simple-looking handcrafted figure with a purpose seemingly forgotten by time.

What Is A Voodoo Doll?

Core to Voodoo practitioners are the Iwa, to whom they performed rituals centered around effigies. These spiritual objects were thought to help manipulate weather and specified events to produce a desired outcome. This practice was not too different from praying to the Catholic God, and it carried over seamlessly to Voudou.

Under this new faith, the effigies became known as Voodoo dolls. Little changed about the creepy dolls themselves, and though movies and television may have popularized their use as a mystical weapon, they are actually tools for healing and communicating with those in the realm of the dead.

Voodoo dolls can be as elaborate or as simple as the maker wishes, with some sharing a likeness with the individual the haunted doll is made for. This is about where the similarities between the reality and sensationalized 20th-century version of the tiny dolls end.

While, in theory, one may be able to bastardize a doll’s purpose and cause harm to another, that was never the intention. Many Voodoo dolls were created to symbolize something dear to the owner. These dolls have little to do with anyone else and are meant to influence the Iwa to act on the user’s behalf.

Voodoo dolls are often incorrectly linked to a phenomenon that took shape in the U.S. in the 1950s. Haitians started to import unusual-looking dolls made of cashew shells. Though they could be misconstrued as Voodoo dolls, they were merely made to satiate the United States’ desire for exotic imports.

One crucial component of the cashew doll, its eyes, stirred controversy that certainly didn’t help the public image of mysterious dolls. Jequirity beans were often used, which proved to be problematic when the beans were found to be toxic. The U.S. government issued a public statement warning against the dolls.

How to Make A Voodoo Doll

There isn’t one specific way to make a Voodoo doll, at least not when talking about the more modernized iteration. However, the more traditional versions that pop up in New Orleans today are as close to the classic dolls used by practitioners. You may see fully sewn dolls with very ornate adornments in shops around New Orleans, but those are more of a tourist trap than anything.

The traditional dolls are far more simplistic. They start with two sticks tied together in a cross-like shape. This represents the human form, with the shorter top and sides being the head and arms. These sticks are then covered with a triangular cutout of bright fabric stuffed with Spanish moss. Black was commonly used for the head, giving the doll a rather eerie appearance that may have lent to the assumed nefarious nature of the dolls.

If creating your own Voodoo doll sounds overwhelming and complicated, fear not. We’d like to introduce you to our very own Voodoo Rue.

Who Is Voodoo Rue?

Meet Voodoo Rue, an adorably disheveled yet potent talisman rooted in the rich tapestry of New Orleans’s voodoo traditions. This handcrafted Voodoo Doll brings the mystique of Voodoo right to your doorstep! Now, as you’ve learned, it’s not all about pins and needles and harming your enemies. But use Voodoo Rue wisely, as the spirits tend to have a mind of their own!

The artisan-made doll isn’t just some toy. It’s a spiritual figure that can be used for the same beneficial rituals its antiquated counterparts were often created for. Call upon the Iwa to heal your soul or manifest a protective spell for a loved one in need.

Voodoo Rue’s authenticity traces its roots back to the great Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. In 1901, cemetery workers unearthed a voodoo doll in St. Louis No. 1, the renowned above-ground cemetery. Found in a hardscrabble patch near the mausoleum of Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau, the doll’s origin, purpose, and how long it had been buried remain a mystery. A worker’s wife used it for years to attract wealth — and settle a few scores –before she buried it again. Every so often, it’s been thought to resurface.

@usghostadventuresIntroducing Voodoo Rue, your ultimate Halloween and Holiday Season companion for healing, protection, and rituals 🕯 🎃 Whether you’re treating yourself or looking for a meaningful gift, this adorably disheveled yet potent talisman is ideal for anyone drawn to spirituality, mysticism, and voodoo traditions ✨ Each doll is carefully handmade and includes a set of ritual pins to help you focus your intentions, providing an authentic experience for beginners and seasoned practitioners 📍 Embrace the eerie charm of Voodoo Rue—your spooky sidekick awaits! Get yours now 👇https://usghostadventures.com/store/product/152/voodoo-rue-handcrafted-collectors-voodoo-doll/♬ original sound – US Ghost Adventures

Each Voodoo Rue doll is hand-made with durable natural fabrics and other materials designed to last, giving you a durable companion that can be used repeatedly for manifestation rituals and protection spells.

Where Can I Find A Voodoo Doll?

Today, you may find tutorials for very complex creations, with some being crocheted together with yarn. While you can create a Voodoo doll in such a way, it’s simply not the traditional method used to appease the Iwa. It is, however, more common that these dolls are made to manipulate another individual’s body in an act of magical vengeance.

The modern concept of Voodoo may not align perfectly with its early history, but there are still some traces of the old-school belief system. Though the Voodoo doll has evolved over the years, it can serve multiple purposes. So, when you pick up your Ghost Daddy Voodoo Rue handcrafted voodoo doll, know that it’s not devised simply as a means of torturing another person.

Haunted New Orleans

The best way to learn about Voodoo Dolls and their mystical powers is to head to the source. New Orleans is the center of religion in the United States. Marie Laveu’s house, the New Orleans Voodoo Museum, and Congo Square are all key locations in this weaving story.

Take a Voodoo tour with US Ghost Adventures to learn more about America’s most fascinating religion. Keep reading our blog in the meantime, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more spooky content!