#blue bottles

The south coast of NSW had strong northeasterly winds over the weekend.

The result was that my local beach was festooned with blue bottles, a few deceased Mutton Birds and a big chunk of meat and fat that was probably from a whale.

Have you ever been driving through Louisiana, or any other southern states, and noticed a tree with colored bottles either hanging from it or stuck onto their branches? Natives of Africa have hung hand-blown glass on huts and trees to ward off evil spirits ( negative energy) since the ninth century, and maybe even earlier.

The Legend is told that the spirits are attracted to the sparkling color of the bottles, blue ones seemingly more enticing to spirits. The moaning sound that the bottles make by the wind is proof that a spirit ( Negative Spirit Energy) is trapped within.

Where Did Bottle Trees Originate:

Bottle trees originated in the Congo of West Africa and date back to at least the ninth century. Very soon after European colonizers noticed the practice in Africa, bottle trees were also observed in the Caribbean in Black communities comprised of people brought there from West Africa via the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Bottle Trees are traditional for a African Diasporic religion or practice like voodoo or hoodoo.

These early accounts the bottle trees were used to ward off a variety of dangers that could destroy a home, such as thieves, evil spells and bad spirits. If you hung bones and bottles in your mango tree, for instance, thieves wouldn't touch the fruit. Basically seeing the tree like this and not knowing what it is we're scared a person off the property.

Hoodoo and the Tradition of Bottle Trees:

Bottle trees are a practice in Hoodoo. The idea behind bottle trees in the Hoodoo tradition is that the world is full of marauding spirits, usually up to no good. In the south of of Louisiana where I'm at, we believe they can enter your house if you're not careful, wreaking havoc — However, these evil spirits are very interested in spangly glass bottles. If you hang them on trees outside your house, the spirits will check the bottle out and become trapped inside, and in the morning when the sun comes up, they will be destroyed in the bottle by the sunlight.

If you're not sure the light of day has really done its job, you can cork the bottle, take it to the river and throw it in the water. A bad spirit (Haint) has no chance against the river because, according to legend, they absolutely hate water. (In mist religions dark energies and or spirits don't like nor can cross running water)

What Are Haunts? Now you herd me mentioned the world Haint. A haint is a restless ghost (spirit) who has not left the world, but has remained behind to haunt the living with trickery that is most often harmless, but there are some that can be more sinister in nature. Due to the vengeful and tricky its intentions of haunts, warding them off is understandably a priority. Hoodoo, sometimes referred to as rootwork, conjure or even lowcountry voodoo, would offer protection from evil. But at night, the boo hag would shed the skin and go looking for a victim to "ride," depleting the victim's energy or possibly even suffocating them.

Make Your Own Bottle Tree:

Turn a tree in your yard into one. The bottle should be placed upside down with the mouth of the bottle facing the trunk. You can also hang them from branches.

Where can I get a bottle? Bud Light platinum bottle is the haint blue or a Milk of Magnesia bottle can be used and they sell the old ones online as well.

Do I Need It In A Tree? No you can have in a bush as well. Some also place them on the ground.

How Do I Know If I Caught One? The bottom will tip over or you can light a incense around it and if the smoke flows into the bottom you cought one.

Bottle Trees Are Used to Honor the Dead:

Bottle trees also have a special connection to the venerated dead. " The distinctive blue bottles were placed on tree limbs to capture the energy, spirit and memories of ancestors." Important and beloved relatives and community members and when they died, their tombs would be marked with large bottle trees, all sorts of vessels — bowls, cups, bottles, pots and pans — as well as knives, forks and bracelets.

How Do I Know If I Caught One?

You will here a whistle sound like the wind blowing into it.

The bottom will tip over.

You can light a incense around it and if the smoke flows into the bottom you cought one.

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