Spirit Doll

Google describes spirit dolls as: Spirit dolls carry special meaning and significance. They are a personal talisman that can be used on your life's journey to guide, inspire and heal.

Spirit dolls have a long standing history and have enjoyed a resurgence of interest over the past few years. Many of the dolls are made to represent special occasions or times of the year. The spirit doll featured above is from my project on Parallels of Maori and Celtic customs and art. This doll is an oak tree spirit representing the oak king who ascends the throne at the winter solstice (Matariki) and controls the lengthening days and move to planting and harvesting. With the approach to the Winter solstice only a month away this seemed a pertinent blog to include..

This doll has a head made from air dry clay. I moulded it around an egg to get the shape it I did have to break the egg to get out the contents out at the end so the back of the head is filled with stuffing. The Oak leaf at the top of the head symbolises the oak king ascendance. The bottom leaves are magnolia leaves. They have a crocheted border and chain stitch down the central vein. Over these I have placed some leaf skeletons and a cloak of rooster feathers. Under the stuffing in the head I have placed mixed dried healing herbs. These can’t be seen but they are there although I am not sure how long the perfume of them will last.

To enhance its Celtic origins it wears a Celtic symbol neck piece. The hair is animal fibre that has been dyed to match the colour palette I was working with.