Gris-gris (pronounced “gree-gree”) comes from the French word gris which means grey, hence a combination of black (negative) and white (positive) magic. In New Orleans, positive charms were called “juju,” and negative were called “mojo” — terms which emanated from African tribal beliefs. Gris-gris was the most powerful of all charms and also the most expensive and it could be used for good or ill. Gris-gris was a potion of herbs and natural or decaying matter, from the mundane to the bizarre, sometimes including powdered brick, ochre, cayenne pepper, fingernail clippings, human hair, and animal skin (usually reptilian) — all tossed into a small leather bag. Thankfully, this mixture was not ingested, but was worn around the neck from a string, or left near the intended object of the charm. It supposedly brought either good or bad luck, depending on what you believed in. The real power of the gris-gris lay in the psychology of the object of the charm and the power of suggestion. Many witches and pagans carry gris-gris bags to draw energy for their magical goals.A charm made by a practitioner for the benefit of the person owning the bag. Its contents are secret, symbolic and grant specific benefits to the bag’s owner. They often give the wearer luck or protection from specific types of harm or enhance their personal attributes in some fashion. Gris-Gris bags are traditionally two inches wide and three inches long. They are filled with a variety of items including: herbs, flower petals, shells, dirt, sand, pebbles, roots, nuts, coins, feathers, bones, fabric, charmscripts, religious articles and such. All Gris Gris bags should contain an odd number of ingredients including at least one personal item. Hair, skin, nail clippings, blood, body fluids, clothing, (worn and unwashed) etc. Once prepared and sealed the Gris-Gris is anointed with a Conditioning Oil while the final incantation is uttered.
A Gris-Gris is uniquely personal and is kept hidden inside a person’s clothing, often next to the skin. It is usually pinned inside the clothes, and according to some, NOT hung around the neck. It should be kept out of sight and NEVER be touched by another person.
Touching by another often cancels the magic and the Gris-Gris must be discarded.
The Gris-Gris has no value to someone other then the person it was made for. However, a Boccur can employ the contents of a Gris – Gris in making a Poppet to affect the bag’s owner.
