New Orleans Voodoo Doll

The New Orleans Voodoo doll is one of the most misunderstood objects in American folk religion. Hollywood reduced it to a pin-jabbed tool of revenge, but in the living tradition of New Orleans Voodoo the truth is almost the opposite. This Creole faith is rooted in West African Vodun and blended over three centuries with Haitian Vodou, Catholic devotion, and Indigenous herb-lore, and within it the doll, sometimes called a gris-gris doll or poppet, is overwhelmingly an instrument of healing, luck, protection, and connection. Practitioners far more often craft one to draw money toward a struggling household, to speed a loved one’s recovery, or to keep a traveller safe than to wish anyone ill.

What gives the New Orleans version its unmistakable look is Spanish moss. This grey, feathery plant drapes the live oaks of the Gulf South, and once dried and cleaned it becomes the traditional stuffing that gives the doll its body. The moss is not mere decoration; many rootworkers regard it as a piece of the Louisiana land itself, carrying the spirit of place into the doll.

Voodoo is a religion practised by living people, not a party trick. Approach the work with the same respect you would bring to any act of prayer, and never make a doll to harm someone you would not be willing to face in person.

What You Will Need

In order to make a “classic” New Orleans Voodoo doll, you will need the following materials:

• 2 sticks
• Pieces of cloth
• Glue
• 2 buttons or beads
• Needle and thread
• Hair, nails or clothes of the person for whom you are performing the ritual
• Spanish moss

Nothing in this list is out of the ordinary; the only real difficulty is sourcing the Spanish moss. The plant is common throughout New Orleans but may not grow where you live. If you cannot find it, replace it with another natural filler such as straw or cotton, because the most important thing here is not the material but the energy and intention you put into the Voodoo doll.

Before You Begin

Before creating a Voodoo doll, keep the following in mind:

• Strangers or people you do not trust should not watch the doll being made or the ritual performed. It is best done privately.
• Do not forget the lunar phases when creating your doll; many practitioners begin protective or drawing work on a waxing or full moon.
• Avoid negative thoughts or harsh words while you work, or you risk filling the doll with the very energy you do not want.
• Always clean the Spanish moss or other filler of dirt and insects before use.

How to Make a New Orleans Voodoo Doll

1. Make a cross from the two sticks and tie them firmly together. This is the skeleton of your doll, its arms and its spine.
2. Wrap the Spanish moss around the cross, starting from the middle and working out to the head, then the hands, then back to the middle and down to the legs. Use large pieces where you can to avoid gaps. Ideally the whole body is wrapped in a single length of moss; if not, bind a thread or cord over the top and tighten it well.
3. Cut the cloth into long, narrow strips and cover the body, leaving the crown of the head and the tips of the hands open. Tie or glue the cloth in place, using both if you want the moss held tighter. The colour you choose is not arbitrary: red is tied to love and vitality, green to money and growth, white to healing and peace. It is worth reading up on colour symbolism in Voodoo dolls before you settle on your cloth and pins.
4. Give the doll a face. Eyes can be buttons or beads and the mouth a line of stitched thread.
5. Personalise the doll so that it truly stands in for its subject, whether that is you or someone who has asked for help. Work in their hair, a scrap of their clothing, a written name, or anything else that links the doll to the living person. It is easy to rush, yet this is what turns a bundle of moss and cloth into a focus for your intention.

How to Bless and Use Your Doll

Your doll is now complete, but it is not yet awake. Cradle it in both hands, name it aloud for the person it represents, and say plainly and kindly what you wish for them. Pass it through the smoke of incense or a candle flame, sprinkle it with a little blessed water, and let it rest on your altar. To work with it afterward, hold it while you pray, anoint a spot with oil for a specific need, or pin a colour tied to your intention over the heart, always for blessing rather than harm.

Now you can perform a Voodoo Purification Ceremony on the doll to give it a name and set it to its purpose.

More Voodoo Doll Guides

• Voodoo colour meanings
• Traditional doll materials
• Make a yarn doll
• What voodoo dolls really are