©
Denise Alvarado, All Rights reserved.
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.
Devotional dolls are those designed to invoke the
power of a specific loa in the life of its possessor. The loas are
the deities in the Voodoo pantheon. Artists are often inspired by
one of the goddesses, gods, or spirits and create Voodoo dolls
according to their understanding and interpretation. Typically,
artists incorporate specific characteristics into the doll, such as
color, objects, numbers, and clothing that are unique to that deity.
Usually these types of dolls are created after consulting with a
mambo, priest, or practitioner/artist and are not meant for public
display. Rather, they are highly personal and should be kept away
from prying eyes and curious hands.
Do you have photos of Voodoo dolls from when you
were in New Orleans? If so please, send them to us via email along
with the story behind them and we will post them here, credit given,
of course.
If
you have a doll you no longer want, you may send it to us as well. Simply wrap
it in a white cloth and package it carefully along with some background
information and we will add it our growing collection.
