Dolls, Fetishes, etc., Used in Rituals

[fallofbabylon]

Content deleted; reason unknown.

This MIA post apparently described dolls or other figural objects placed in trees.

 

[linesmachine]

Interesting post. And I reckon this sort of thing is much more common than you think. The truth is you'll find such things anywhere near someone who practices it! Which isn't a very helpful answer but I have an experience similar that I'll detail below.

About 8 years ago I was stuck in a rut at work (or the lack of it really!) and my father sent me to his mate who was a professional career consultant. We got chatting about stuff and after my second session I noticed a polaroid of what appeared to be a voodoo type doll lying next to a ruler (for scale purposes). I asked what it was, saying I was interested in that sort of thing generally. His response was that he didn't rightly know. He was semi retired and in his spare time he volunteered to help keep Oxfords parks and public areas trim (keen gardener). They Parks group had identified a tree that needed to be felled and when they were looking closely at it (old oak tree I think) realised that someone had hung these doll type things in the branches and also tucked some into a few hollows in the trunk. They slowly realised that several other trees in the same park had them and even a few trees in other parks across Oxford. He had taken a photo and meant to research what they were on the net.

Years later I was doing a recky of the site for my first Paranormal camping trip (Waylands Smithy, nr the White Horse, Uffington). I noticed that there were lots of very similar things tied up in the trees there. And a few years later again saw the same thing next to the Rollright Stones in North Oxfordshire. Obviously these places are more likely to attract such activity, but whilst out dog walking near my home I have come across several similar things again in lane hedgerows and the like. So I go back to my initial point: I think they occur where ever you get people who practice this type of stuff.

For what it's worth the things I saw were most likely not voodoo but some kind of pagan thing. Some did have pins stuck in them, most did not. But human hair (or what appeared to be human hair) was a fairly common thing. More common was an "object" attached that was clearly specific to a person...a plastic ring, tiny photos pieces of different material.

Interesting though. And well worth looking in the trees around where you live coz I've seen them in all kind of odd places.

 

[Mythopoeika]

I think you're right, you'll find them where there are large populations. London is packed with Africans, Haitians and pagans - so it's little surprise that such things go on.

Both good accounts, by the way.

 

[linesmachine]

They also stipulated that the name "Gloria" was written on parchment attached to the doll. I'm guessing this is the name of the target of the practice though as a novice in this field I wouldn't be surprised if the name had more esoteric meaning.

I think your first hunch is correct. It's simply the name of the person it's targeted at. I did look quite extensively into this after the career consultant incident and even went as far as Oxford Library, reading up on the pagan element of this. It's actually MORE likely that the "spell/ritual" is targeting Gloria in a positive way than a negative one i.e. to improve her health or luck or what not. The weirdest doll I ever saw had a very small babies knitted jumper on with a name hand drawn in marker on the front.

I really wish I'd taken photos of then over the years. I'll try and make a mental note to do so in the future and maybe we can keep this post rolling in order to display them. Would be interesting to see if the RBKC parks police allow you to photo the one in question...

 

[_Lizard23_]

I've done such things myself - I do do a little hoodoo from time to time.
As you suggest, hair, personal effects, photographs and name papers are generally intended to establish a sympathetic link with the target.
It may be possible to determine the intention of the working from the constituents of the artefact, maybe not.
In any case I expect the practitioner would rather you left them be ... if it helps you make the decision to do so, it is entirely possible that bodily fluids are involved in the creation of such an object.

 

[James_H]

I've seen a few ribbons etc tied up in the trees of Oxford's parks, I always assumed that they were for magic(k)

 

[linesmachine]

I've done such things myself - I do do a little hoodoo from time to time.
As you suggest, hair, personal effects, photographs and name papers are generally intended to establish a sympathetic link with the target.
It may be possible to determine the intention of the working from the constituents of the artefact, maybe not.
In any case I expect the practitioner would rather you left them be ... if it helps you make the decision to do so, it is entirely possible that bodily fluids are involved in the creation of such an object.

That the best thing about the FT forum, it's an excellent knowledge resource.

Thanks Lizard. Can I ask: why is it so common to use trees to place the objects once they are made? Is it part of the "spell"? Is it specifically related to the pagan link?

 

[_Lizard23_]

I don't actually know a lot about the doings of yer 'pagans', as such, but I expect trees in general do have a particular significance for 'em, with the whole 'nature' thing.

Just about all systems of magic(k) use 'correspondences' - certain plants/stones/metals/colours/numbers etc signifying different archetypes, and types of trees have similar associations in folklore.

Certainly in hoodoo specifically the placement of items in trees can be 'part of the spell' - see http://www.luckymojo.com/layingtricks.html#tree

 

[redbeard]

I once encountered something similar though a lot crueler. About ten years
ago whilest wasting a day round a local wood I discovered what I can only describe as crucified bird. Wings nailed to seperate trees, it was one of the worst acts of cruelty I have ever seen. I took the time to remove the bird and
bury it nearby. I returned to the site several times in hope of catching the people responisble but never did.
I have spent a fair amount of time practicing magic but never had to resort to anything like that or heard of anybody doing something similar.



hmmm maybe this wasn't so similar atfter all, sorry about that.