Gris Gris Autopsy - What a Commercial Gris Gris is Made From

As I explain in The Hand Book, the term gris-gris technically and traditionally refers to a type of written African-Islamic charm, but in modern American practice the word has come to be used synonymously with mojo, conjure-bag, and other types of talismans. Among them are these types of semi-decorative gris-gris which are hung up in or around the home or place of business to work their influence. 

I purchased the above gris gris from a commercial supplier several years ago. The instructions on their website proclaims: "This ball is used to improve your business. Hang this ball over the register or where the money is located. Every morning shake the ball and say the prayer to Saint Martin Caballero."

When purchased, some more elaborate instructions were included, along with the St. Martin prayer. It appears I have since discarded my copy, but I recall that the technique involved dressing the ball with oil and an instruction to replace the gris gris every 3 months.

I did faithfully follow the instructions for a time but ultimately I wasn't impressed by the changes I was seeing in my business. When the three months were up I decided not to purchase another. However, I liked the look of the gris gris and so I kept it around for decoration even if it wasn't "working" in a magical sense.

Recent life events mean I'm doing a big overhaul of my workspace, and the decorative gris gris won't fit with my new design. The opportunity thus has come to satisfy a long-held curiosity -- just what is inside the gris gris?

This type of gris-gris is a form of container spell, similar to the old calabash spells that are some of the oldest documented in American hoodoo, as the one described in Conjuration. Bottles, coconuts, clay vessels and other containers are also used for making these. Some modern practitioners say that they should always be made from a material which will be able to biodegrade back into the earth, although it's unclear if this was always considered a requirement in their creation.

Since this gris-gris was reasonably round and came from a commercial supplier, I expected based on its weight and feel that it was probably made from paper mache or even plastic. When I first pulled off the decorative ribbons I was surprised to find that it seemed to be a large nut or seed pod.

A hole had been drilled into the top of the pod and sealed with dark wax. When I pulled it out, I poured out the contents and found this:

This appears to be a mixture of green incense powder, green-dyed lucky rice, and a few pinches of herbs and spices (I could identify what looked like lemongrass and cinnamon pieces, as well as possibly some larger root or wood chunks.) The total quantity of this mixture amounted to perhaps a scant tablespoon. 

There was still something large and heavy rattling around within, something too large to shake out through the opening. I had to crack open the rest of the pod with a hammer. A smell like coconut wafted up, revealing the likely identification of what kind of nut pod this was. Inside was a fragrant mass of what was probably the dried innards of the fruit, stained green from years of contact with the incense powder.

Dried, smoothed, whole coconuts like this are sold from a few different suppliers, sometimes labeled for use in Hindu religious practices. 

I consider the deconstruction to be a success! This has been a valuable lesson in the construction of modern gri-gris balls.