gris-gris In Vodoun, a special Charm or AMULET to ward off bad luck, ill health, property loss, financial ruin, and any other misfortune. The origin of the word gris-gris is not certain, but may have evolved from juju, a West African term for FETISH. Gris-gris are also called gri-gri.

The original gris-gris were probably poppets or images of the gods. Most modern gris-gris are small cloth bags filled with herbs, oils, stones, small bones, hair and nail clippings, pieces of clothing soiled with perspiration, and/ or other personal items, gathered under the direction of a particular god and designed to protect the owner.

A gris-gris is ritually made at an altar and consecrated with the four elements of earth (salt), air (incense), water, and fire (a candle flame). The number of ingredients is always either one, three, five, seven, nine, or 13. Ingredients can never be an even number, nor more than 13. Stones and colored objects are selected for their occult and astrological properties, depending on the purpose of the gris-gris. Once made, they are buried on property, hung over doorways and onto doors, and even worn on the person.

Gris-gris also have other functions. They are talismans to attract love, money, and other desired things, and they can be used to cause someone else ill luck, known as “putting a gris-gris” on a person.

From: The Encyclopedia of Magic and Alchemy Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley Copyright © 2006 by Visionary Living, Inc.