New Orleans Voodoo is a conglomeration of cultural and spiritual belief systems strongly influenced by the ancient Voodoo religion of Africa, the Vodou religion of Haiti, the healing arts of Native American people, the folk magic of Europe, and Catholicism. Learn more about this unique style of Voodoo found only in New Orleans!
New Orleans Voodoo is a conglomeration of cultural and spiritual belief systems strongly influenced by the ancient Voodoo religion of Africa, the Vodou religion of Haiti, the healing arts of Native American people, the folk magic of Europe, and Catholicism. Voodoo is culture, heritage, philosophy, art, dance, language, medicine, music, justice, power, storytelling & ritual. Voodoo is a way of looking at and dealing with life. It heals and destroys, is both good and bad, and is simple in concept and complex in practice. Voodoo reflects the duality of the nature of the rattlesnake; its poison is toxic but its poison is needed to heal the same toxin. Voodoo is open to all yet holds many secrets & mysteries to those who are uninitiated.
The word voodoo means “spirit of God.” Voodoo believers accept the existence of one god, below which are the powerful spirits often referred to as Loa. These powerful spirits are responsible for the daily matters in life in the areas of family, love, money, happiness, wealth, and revenge.
Voodoo has its roots in the trauma of many people. It originated from the African ancestors who were brought to the Caribbean in bondage. Christopher Columbus set the stage in 1492 for the development of Voodoo when countless Tainos were murdered in an attempt to enslave them during the colonization of Hispaniola. With a lack of indigenous people to function as slaves, and the cost of European servants prohibitive, the slave trade between West and Central Africa began (Long, 2000).
In 1697 the French acquired one third of Hispaniola and worked the slaves literally to death. The average survival rate of slaves at that time was only about 10 years. This made the slave population ripe for continual replenishment, and the slave population grew from several thousand to half a million. The slave population was extremely diverse with many different tribes representing many religions, languages, and belief systems. It is during this time of the French occupation that the basic structure of Voodoo as we know it today developed.
The colonizers believed that by separating families and individual nations, the slave population would not unite as one people. On the contrary, the Africans found commonalities in their belief systems and religions and began invoking their own spirits and practicing each other’s religious rites. In addition, the surviving Taino Indians exerted some influence over the practice of Voodoo, especially in the area of the healing arts. As well, the indentured servants of Europe brought their folk magic, which was incorporated into the Voodoo religion. The Roman Catholic Church, ever finding ways to convert people to the church, and the entity to which the French answered, insisted on treating the slaves better and had them baptized and instructed in the practice of Catholicism (Hanger, 1997). The slave population soon began to mask their rituals and beliefs in Catholicism. It is the conglomeration and syncretism of these diverse cultural belief systems that comprised the first Creole religion and makes Voodoo what it is today.
To make a very long story short, the slaves eventually rebelled and drove out the French and the Catholic Church. Years of oppression and persecution followed, with the Voodoo considered Satanism by the Catholic church and evangelical Protestants. This caused Voodoo to go underground and flourish. The Catholic Church eventually made peace (on a superficial level, mind you) with the Voodoo and it is now accepted as an established religion.
Beyond the era of ancient dolls, Voodoo dolls as we know them today are created for many purposes. In New Orleans, which can be considered the contemporary hub of Voodoo dolls in America, they are created as gris gris (pronounced gree gree), a form of talismanic magick. The word gris means grey, denoting that which lies between black and white. Gris gris is both a noun and a verb, referring to a ritually prepared object such as a doll or a small cloth bag filled with magickal ingredients, as well as the act of working the gris gris (i.e. spell or charm). In New Orleans, there are four main categories of gris gris: love, power and domination, luck and finance, and uncrossing. These four categories are among the most commonly requested gris gris associated with Voodoo dolls.
Traditionally, Voodoo dolls are created to represent a deity or to house a spirit, not unlike the nkisi, statues of power used throughout the Congo Basin in Central Africa that are thought to contain spiritual powers or spirits. Although they are most commonly depicted as objects of revenge, most practitioners of Voodoo make a concerted effort to disassociate from the malevolent use of Voodoo dolls, which is considered a form of Bokor Voodoo or sorcery. Instead, Voodoo dolls are created and used for positive purposes. Approximately 90%percent of the use of Voodoo dolls is centered on healing, finding true love, and spiritual guidance. They are also used as focusing tools in ritual and meditation.
In New Orleans, Voodoo dolls are largely sold as souvenirs, curios, and novelty items. There are literally hundreds of kinds of voodoo dolls available; most are mass produced in Taiwan for the tourist trade, but many are created by local practitioners. These dolls can usually be identified by their similarities to each other, and often come with a packet of pins and instructions. For the most part, people who purchase a Voodoo doll will keep it around as a warm and fuzzy reminder of New Orleans, the Land of Voodoo.
Voodoo in New Orleans, excerpt from 1995 documentary
New Orleans Voodoo Dolls
An all-purpose Voodoo doll perfect for any ritual endeavor!
In New Orleans, Voodoo moss dolls can be found all over the French Quarter in a variety of styles, sold as magickal curios infused with the power to heal or hex. These dolls are popular due to their affordability and flexibility. They come in all colors and sometimes carry a gris gris bag (a portable spell) of their own. A person can purchase one of these dolls and use it for whatever purpose is needed. Commonly used purposes are love; power and domination; good luck and prosperity; uncrossing, healing, fertility, protection, and connection with the Divine.
Voodoo moss dolls are typically constructed out of two sticks made into a cross shape and wrapped with Spanish moss. They may also be created out of fabric in the poppet style and stuffed with moss. In New Orleans, you can often find dolls that come with seven pins. The purpose for sticking the pins in the doll corresponds to the color and purpose of the pin. Sticking pins in a Voodoo doll is not meant to cause pain and anguish in another human being; rather, it serves to focus and activate your intention, or for pinning a photograph, personal effect, or name tag to the doll.
Description: Planet Voodoo's all-purpose New Orleans Voodoo dolls are handcrafted and blessed by their creator. In New Orleans, Voodoo dolls are used as focusing tools in ritual and meditation. These all-purpose Voodoo dolls are perfect for any ritual endeavor. They come with a set of seven pins and instructions for use. Please note that colors will vary. Measure approximately 12 x 5 inches. Price is for one doll.
Catholic Church, ever finding ways to convert people to the church, and the entity to which the French answered, insisted on treating the slaves better and had them baptized and instructed in the practice of Catholicism (Hanger, 1997). The slave population soon began to mask their rituals and beliefs in Catholicism. It is the conglomeration and syncretism of these diverse cultural belief systems that comprised the first Creole religion and makes Voodoo what it is today.
