Buying Voodoo Dolls on Ebay, Part 2 

Buying Voodoo dolls on eBay can be a daunting task. There are so many kinds that if you don't know what to look for you could end up with the wrong one. And what could feed your deepest paranoia more than inviting the wrong Voodoo Spirit into your home? No one wants to end up with Chucky on their shelf, after all! So, what are the various kinds of Voodoo dolls? How do you know if you are buying the right one for you? The purpose of this guide is to provide the consumer with general information about the different types of Voodoo dolls that can be found for sale on eBay, their significance, and how to make sure you are getting the right one for you.

Types of Voodoo Dolls and their Significance

There are almost as many different kinds of Voodoo dolls as there are people making them on this planet. They differ in construction, materials, purpose, and artist interpretation. There are, however, some styles that have become the sort of standard over the years and are defined by their purpose more than anything else. In New Orleans, Voodoo dolls are used as focusing tools, and through creative visualization just about any positive purpose can be accomplished. And yes, negative effects can be accomplished as well if that is the will of the doll's creator or possessor. Most reputable Voodoo artisans anbd practitioners do not endorse the use of Voodoo dolls for negative purposes, though, and for good reason if you believe in karma or the "harm none, do what ye will" rede of the Wiccan. In fact, the stereotypical pin sticking evil little doll is more the creation of Hollywood than it is a reality. Unfortunately, this stereotype has persisted and contributed in a big way to the misunderstanding of Voodoo as a whole.

Today, as in the past, Voodoo dolls are fashioned out of whatever natural elements available to the region. In New Orleans, Spanish moss and sticks form the basis for many Voodoo dolls. The faces are hand sculpted out of clay with painted details, or made of cloth with sewn facial features, or a natural knot in a piece of wood, for example. Often, the purpose of the Voodoo doll is what dictates how the doll is created and what it is made out of. Fertility dolls may have big breasts and exaggerated genitalia, for example. Using the principles of sympatheic magic, a Voodoo doll can be made in the image of a particular person to affect that person in some way, be it for the right (good) or left (dark) hand. The person making the doll is believed to infuse that doll with the energy at the time of its creation. If their intent is to deceive and mislead, then the Voodoo doll will carry that energy with it into your home. If the person is angry and quarreling with someone while creating the Voodoo doll, those energies will embody the doll. On the other hand, if the person creates the doll with positive intention and a loving heart, you will be blessed this way upon receiving the doll. This is why it is a good idea to get to know the person you are buying the dolls from. You should be able to contact them at any time and ask questions and receive prompt and honest answers. I make myself available to all of my customers well beyond the purchase of the actual doll, if that is needed. It is not only good customer service, it is a spiritual responsibility when creating items of a spiritual nature that have the potential of affecting someone in a big way.

So what if you are buying from someone who doesn't really have the knowledge of the mysteries and is just trying to unload something on eBay? Exercise caution, because you don't know if the doll has been used in ritual, or how many hands it has passed through. In this case, it is a good idea to smudge the doll with sage or cedar, or do some other simple ritual clarifying its' energy so that it does not carry any negative baggage with it into your home. I  don't receommend purchasing Voodoo dolls in this type of situation, particulalry if you are interested in using it in ritual. If you are a collector, on the other hand, feel free to buy from wherever you wish. I still believe you should smudge it or have it blessed in some way...just in case.

Many of the Voodoo dolls that are sold on eBay are inspired by the cosmologies of countless cultures and thus, their stories are from antiquity. For some people, it is the mythology attached to the Voodoo doll that draws them in. For others, it is the expression on their face. Still others, pay attention to the purpose of the doll; that is, what it was made to do and how it can assist them in some way. Whatever your reason, make sure it feels right to you. Your gut will never steer you wrong. This is the best advice I can give to anyone concerned about buying the "right" Voodoo doll.

In the next section, I will describe the different types of Voodoo dolls that are commonly available for purchase on eBay.

Ju Ju Dolls   

Ju Ju dolls are a common site on eBay for their good luck and protection properties. The term "ju ju" refers to an object, in thia case a doll, that has been blessed and functions to keep evil and negativity away. Sometimes Ju Ju dolls are referred to as guardians because they are used to protect the home from negativity. Other popular ju jus in New Orleans include talismans made of alligator heads and chicken feet. Pictured is one of my Ju Ju Guardian Charm Dolls. They are made of pine needles, sticks, and Spanish moss, adorned with colorful yarn, a good luck heart charm, and a gris gris bag filled with magickal items to bring positive blessings to thier possessor. Ju Ju Guardian Charm dolls can be hung above the doorway in your home to keep negative energy at bay.

Voodoo Charm Doll      

Along the same lines of a Ju Ju doll is the Charm doll. Essentially, a Voodoo charm doll is a good luck charm. Charm dolls are typically adorned with numerous beads, buttons, charms, feathers, yarn, and fabrics, and functions as general purpose good luck dolls. Sometimes, charm dolls are made in the form of familiars, such as the black cat pictured above left, one of the most powerful animals in the Voodoo tradition.

Voodoo Loa/Orisha Dolls

The loas are the deities in the Voodoo pantheon. The orishas are the deities of the Santeria tradition. While Voodoo and Santeria are two separate religions, there is often a bit of overlap and they are complementary for the most part. Artists are often inspired by one of the goddesses and gods and create Voodoo dolls according to their understanding and interpretation, and typically incoporate aspects such as color, objects, numbers, and clothing that are unique to that deity. Erzulie Dantor, for example (picture above), is the patron loa to lesbian women and protector of women and children who are victims of domestic violence. She is likened to the Black Madonna. She loves the color blue, gold, and knives, so I incorporated these elements into her creation. One of the myths associated with Erzulie Dantor is that she was a fierce warrioress. She joined in the fight to protect her people during the Haitian revolution. However, it was feared that if she were captured she would tell the enemy all of the secrets she knew, so her own people cut out her tongue, rendering her mute. This is why she is often depicted with her daughter Anais in tow. Anais serves as her translator.

Broom Dolls   

In New Orleans, the broom is a symbol for protection, health, and fertility. It functions to sweep negativity away from your home. The broom lore actually comes from Hoodoo, or southern African American conjure folklore. Voodoo dolls are created out of brooms as fertility talisman's to bring health and fertility into one's life.

Swamp Witch 

Sometimes the Swamp Witch can be seen for sale  or up for auction on eBay. She is the wise old woman of the bayou; Gran Ibo is a goddess of wisdom and patience. She holds the mysteries and the magick and the medicine found in the swamp, and she knows the power of the water. Her familiar is the canary, who whispers the secrets of the swamp in her ear. Through the Gran Ibo, the roots, plants, herbs, and flowers communicate to the voodooist. The Swamp Witch is a good one to buy is healing is needed.

General Purpose Voodoo Doll  

The general purpose Voodoo doll is an all-purpose doll for use as a focusing tool or with other magickal items in ritual and meditation.

Recap

There are many more different types of Voodoo dolls but I have to stop somewhere. I will save the rest for Part 3 of the eBay guide, "How to Buy Voodoo Dolls on eBay". In the meantime, here are the Voodoo dolls I have covered in this article and their purpose:

Ju Ju Dolls - For good luck, warding off evil,  and protection of the home.
Charm Dolls - For general good luck.
Voodoo Loa/Orisha Dolls - Depends on the deity. Oshun for love and emotional stability. Erzulie Dantor for love, sex, and protection from domestic violence. Do your homework and find out what is that deity's domain and how they can assist you and purchase accordingly.
Broom Dolls - For good health, fertility, and protection of the home.
Swamp Witch - For healing, wisdom, and patience.
General Purpose Voodoo Doll - For use as a focusing tool in meditation and ritual.

Find Voodoo Dolls on Ebay

Once you have decided to explore the world of Voodoo dolls on eBay, you can go to the Everything Else portal, and click on metaphysical and start searching for Voodoo doll listings.

Categories

To search by category, go to the categories listing on the left side of each page to narrow down your search by item type. For example, when you land on the metaphysical page, you'll find links to goth, psychic, paranormal , Tarot , Wicca , and more.

Keyword Search

To search by keyword, search eBay listing titles for specific words. In the search box, type voodoo doll, voodoo, and black cat , for example. Click search title and description to expand you results. Check out the search tips page for more ideas about searching for items using keywords. If you still can't find what you are looking for, you can try shopping on eBay Stores , post to the Want it Now community, or save a search on eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Voodoo dolls with Confidence

There are gthings to help you buy Voodoo dolls with confidence at eBay: know what you are buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you as a consumer.

1. Know your purchase.  Be sure to read all of the item details before placing a bid or committing to a purchase. This includes noting the shipping cost and determining if the seller will provide insurance if you need it. Be sure to complete the transaction on eBay. Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay's protection programs. Also, if there is anything you want to know about the item that is not covered in the listing, check the ask a seller link under the seller's profile. Finally, never use any of the instant cash transfer services such as Western Union or Money Gram, as these methods are unsafe when buying from someone you don't know.
2.  Know your seller. What is the seller's feedback rating? What are other people saying about this seller? Do they have a return policy? What are the terms and conditions?
3.  Buyer protection. In the event that something goes wrong with your transaction, PayPal and eBay haver built-in protection programs. You can purchase an item through PayPal without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card number, PayPal protects your purchase up to $1000.00 and protects 100% against unauthorized credit card purchases. In addition, eBay has a Security and resolution Center that has a number of tools for resolving disputes and protecting the consumers.