New Orleans souvenir shops are famous or should we say infamous for these little dolls

often accompanied by pins and spells, but there's just one thing wrong with so-called

Buddha dolls.

They don't actually exist.

This is two-minute black history, what you didn't learn in school.

Look down any street in the French Quarter, and you're likely to be greeted with gift

shops selling little cloth Buddha dolls and pins that can be used to cast spells.

But here's the thing, those dolls aren't actually used how many of us think they are.

So what's the truth?

Voldo originated in West Africa at least 6,000 years ago, and today there are more than

60 million followers.

Contrary to popular belief, dolls are not a major part of the religion.

Vodu practitioners don't use dolls to cast spells or to get revenge.

The dolls you see in gift shops are poor representations of religious objects called

Minkisi.

Made by spiritual leaders, these vessels are used to hold spirits, medicines, or sacred

space.

Even like the souvenirs in gift shops, they aren't evil or used to hurt others.

So what are Vodu dolls actually used for?

Generally, the dolls are used to protect and communicate with the spirits of ancestors,

heal ailments, or ward off people seeking to hurt others.

From their inception, Vodu dolls have helped us honor our ancestral roots.

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