Orishas are spirits, defined by the Yoruba people as primordial divinities, deified ancestors, and personified natural forces and phenomena, who have been tasked with providing guidance to humanity by higher deities. The lwa or loa are also spirits; they are revered in the Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo traditions, and act as emissaries between humans and Bondye, the supreme creator. Rather than praying to these spirits, those wishing to work with them must learn how best to serve them; setting up an altar that features their images is a step in the right direction. These New Orleans Voodoo Dolls are created especially for us, and no two are exactly alike.