HISTORY OF VOODOO DOLLS

The name voodoo stands for an African word ‘spirit’. History of Voodoo dolls started during colonial times. The religion Voodoo is practiced by West African Yoruba community and it was brought to Haiti by African slaves. It is widely practiced in many North American cities, especially New Orleans. The religion consists of a revered god, Loa, several rituals and a variety of spirits. The Voodoo worshippers in New Orleans area practiced the religion with Voodoo Dolls.

In earlier times, Voodoo dolls were used to symbolize the spirit of a particular person. It is believed that voodoo dolls can bring good or bad luck to individuals. Worshippers used voodoo dolls to curse a person by sticking pin in dolls. This practice is still continuing in some areas of South America. As the history of Voodoo dolls is not completely unique to New Orleans Voodoo religion, it is significantly based in European based magical tools such as poppet and nkisi. The dolls were also used to in altars and objects used to honor spirits.