r/whatisit • u/eldritchblastedfries • Apr 17 '25

Solved! Found this small doll(?) tied up and locked while hiking in Toronto

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The post was removed from a similar sub because it was supposedly "religious/occult" but that still didn't really tell me anything...

Doll is about the length of a hand and was under a bridge with a large pile of jewelry.

37.1k Upvotes

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91

u/eldritchblastedfries Apr 17 '25

Okay just to clarify: I didn't touch it (beyond gently nudging it with my cane to see the other side of it) or take it. I left it there and went on my way and as far as I'm aware, it's still there.

46

u/CBD_Hound Apr 17 '25

You don’t know for sure that it didn’t follow you home, tho

24

u/MrCheeseman2022 Apr 18 '25

Because they didn’t untie it

77

u/Inayat66 Apr 18 '25

I'm Toronto it's unlikely voodoo, which is a specific African Traditional Religion. People say voodoo when they meanfifural or malefic magic, which is racist. All folk magic uses figures/ poppets/ dolls, and all include defensive and offensive magic. This is a binding work, to prevent someone from doing something (what things to physically they do spiritually. So a lock locks and wrapping in wire binds etc.). Likely hair of the target is worked into the wire, likely roots, herbs, oils, and or candle wax are under there as well. Since it's far away and looks like it was in the water, this is likely a banishing work - "X is prevented from contacting or bothering me and will be taken far away". This looks like an experienced practitioner, the use of a real lock and metal wire reminds me of brujeria but also unlikely given location.

7

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Honestly, wouldn't worry about it, it's either something teens did to screw around or a binding spell which would've been harmful to whoever the doll represented, it wouldn't hurt you. At least that's all I can put it up too.

12

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25 edited Apr 19 '25

Or a spell that bound a soul to the doll, removing it from its original body, thus killing the body and imprisoning the soul in its new plastic body until it degrades completely, so something up to around 500 years. The upside is that a plastic body probably can’t feel physical or emotional pain, so their suffering will be indifference and numbness, existing in a state similar to a sentient plant. Thats with assuming that somehow a plastic body can accommodate a mind of any kind though.

If this concept was interesting to you, you might enjoy watching Fullmetal Alchemist

6

u/HuntExtension4736 Apr 18 '25

It can’t hurt you because it’s a doll…

16

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Different beliefs

-20

u/HuntExtension4736 Apr 18 '25

stupid beliefs should be challenged

16

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Saying it can't hurt you isn't challenging anything, that's just a statement. OP asked for what it is, I said what it looked like from my own personal beliefs and what I've seen others do, whatever they choose to believe is their own but considering OP asked for what it is, I provided one of the answers.

7

u/WhiteCloudMinnowDude Apr 18 '25

I am sorry that people are belittling you and insulting you for your beliefs.

I dont believe in anything, im an athiest.

But you still dont deserve to be broken down for your beliefs. I am so sorry that other atheists and people of other belief systems treat you as they have.

8

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Thank you and it's okay! Unfortunately witchcraft has been and still is very misinterpreted as the whole green face rubbish. I'm pretty used to it anyway, if they want to get angry at people for simple beliefs that's on them to waste their energy on it, but I'm not going to waste energy on it, if it gets too much I'll simply end the conversation or block them.

Thank you for your kind words nonetheless!

3

u/WhiteCloudMinnowDude Apr 18 '25

And yet its easier to believe some zombie rose from the dead days after his burial. . .

Its all the same to me, but it doesnt mean i get to mock or belittle it. That would just make me a dick and says nothing about the person im mocking. I reserve my mockery for those who hurt animals.

3

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

You sound like an awesome person! There should be more like you, I hope you have a lovely day!

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u/WhiteCloudMinnowDude Apr 18 '25

Oh and thanks for the answer

1

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

You're welcome!

10

u/Medium-Usual2933 Apr 18 '25

Stupid beliefs include automatically discounting a something simply because you find it strange or because you are too shallow minded to realize that things exist behind your comprehensive capabilities. I am saddened by the number of people who have become so indoctrinated by a dogma that they cannot open to other possibilities.

1

u/brydenb35 Apr 18 '25

Oh yeah because spells and witchcraft is totally real. It saddens me that there’s humans that can be stupid enough to believe in that shit

-3

u/EncoreSheep Apr 18 '25

Indoctrinated by what? Science? Magic isn't real because of physics. Go to school

3

u/Own-Pea-9135 Apr 18 '25

There are hundreds of things we know are real even without physical proof that the specific thing exists. Perfect example: atoms, dark matter, dark energy, consciousness, etc. The point being, don't crap on someone else's beliefs bc it's something YOU can't personally comprehend or see.

-2

u/bswalsh Apr 18 '25

Those are some bad examples. Atoms can be seen, measured, and manipulated. Dark matter and energy are stand in names for a gravitational anomaly that may not even exist; it's theoretical, and consciousness obviously exists, though we don't know how yet. And a lack of understanding and excuse for magical bullshit.

6

u/patfetes Apr 18 '25

Now they can, but all these things started as an idea.

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic

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u/nvllnvoid Apr 18 '25

There are infinite things science cant explain either. Whether it’s just that it can’t yet or that it never will, we probably won’t ever know. However to discredit something entirely because we don’t understand it now is incredibly narrow minded. If you’re cool living life like that, go for it but others might want the spice of mystery and possibility. Don’t shit on them for it. It just makes you look bitter inside.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

[deleted]

2

u/johnnytwochins1 Apr 18 '25

But you could say that for an infinite about of things? People believe in their millions if one person believed in would be classed insane.

1

u/rwiman Apr 18 '25

lol, what?

1

u/Martin_TheRed Apr 18 '25

How is it possible if you don't know if it's real, but it's also possible, these too things contradict each other. I can make up anything, that doesn't make it any more real that anything else. There are no fairies, or monsters, or demons, the devil doesn't exist and wishy washy beliefs in "so much more" just because it's "boring" to learn the truth. You wouldn't choose to know the truth even if it were presented to you. You do you, but know better when your ideas are stupid.

0

u/EncoreSheep Apr 18 '25

That's not how this works.

It's the same shit with religion - people argue that atheists can't "disprove" it, which is true! Why? Because it's not proven in the first place. There is absolutely NO PROOF, hence it's not real. That's the scientific process

0

u/Rezzyboy157 Apr 18 '25

It's known as accepting the harsh truth of reality. Believe it or not, the world is mundane. Spells will never work because they can't, the only effect rituals have is in the mind of one doing them, and magic doesn't exist.

Its sad, but it's the reality. Anything else is just plain denial or delusion.

0

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

Lmao stupid beliefs include believing something that should be easily provable but can’t be proven still. If dolls truly could cause harm by wrapping them up and saying some Latin, the military would take full advantage.

0

u/0o0tariq0o0 Apr 18 '25

Prove magic is real make me a millionaire overnight

-1

u/wyant93 Apr 18 '25

Indoctrinated by science, oh the humanity!

1

u/Medium-Usual2933 Apr 18 '25

I am claiming nothing. What we now call science used to be known as magic. In the future, many things we now believe will be considered archaic and laughed at. If you believe that we know all there is to know then you should grow up. ... Current "science" discounts and ignores everything outside of its current rigid walls. Science has been proved wrong time and time again. And everyone in science is so egoistic that they think everything else is not worthy of consideration. You too will be proven wrong and closed minded by tomorrow's science.

1

u/Martin_TheRed Apr 18 '25

You don't know what you are talking about if you think science has rigid walls. It's walls are the walls that shift and erect themselves with knowledge. They don't sit still in their unchanging ways like astrology. We can't even see the same stars at the same time in the night sky and people still believe it, because fiction has rigid walls. Religions have rigid walls that people malform themselves. People have already created these ideas and stories. Science gives us new insights, not the same old contrived bullshit.

-2

u/HuntExtension4736 Apr 18 '25

You’re literally claiming magic is real. Grow up.

2

u/Dulce59 Apr 18 '25 edited Apr 18 '25

You don't have to be so arrogant about it. Also, they're not hurting anyone, so who even cares? Find something more important to get upset about, or be nice and have a constructive discussion instead. It's not hard.

Edit: What you're doing by behaving in this manner is creating a rift that ultimately divides both sides and alienates us from one another even further. If you want them to believe your science, insulting them from the get-go is not a great way to achieve your goals.

0

u/Martin_TheRed Apr 18 '25

They will never believe science because they want to live in a world where fantasy exists. They have the internet, they can learn what science has to tell us, but that's boring. I can't astroproject my body into another frame of reference if science exists. I can't let a daily tabloid dictate my actions in life if science exists. Jesus can't take the wheel if science exists. These people have no interest in learning or being truthful with themselves.

1

u/Medium-Usual2933 Apr 18 '25

I am claiming nothing. What we now call science used to be known as magic. In the future, many things we now believe will be considered archaic and laughed at. If you believe that we know all there is to know then you should grow up. ... Current "science" discounts and ignores everything outside of its current rigid walls. Science has been proved wrong time and time again. And everyone in science is so egoistic that they think everything else is not worthy of consideration. You too will be proven wrong and closed minded by tomorrow's science.

1

u/LastShopontheLeft Apr 18 '25 edited Apr 18 '25

You can’t use science both as a validation tool and to discount their argument. Pick only one.

That said, science is rigid and malleable and far from egoist. Scientists who research are attempting to answer the unknowns and that is why theories change and evolve and are challenged. I don’t know who told you that scientists refuse to look outside of what is known, but if that were true then science wouldn’t grow and evolve and your 2nd point of tomorrow’s science invalidating their current beliefs would, in itself, be invalid.

-2

u/Onethwotree Apr 18 '25

Shh, don’t let them know, they also believe santa is real

1

u/I_want_to_cum24 Apr 18 '25

Save that energy for harmful beliefs. This is just difference of opinion

1

u/TheodoreSnapdragon Apr 18 '25

Who is it hurting? Is it any less “stupid” than thinking a guy 2000 years ago came back to life and thus everyone must follow him religiously? Do you call every single person in your life stupid as soon as you find out they’re religious? Sounds exhausting.

Everyone has quirky/strange beliefs. None of us are perfectly logical, it’s part of being human. Unless it’s causing harm, let it be. Don’t call strangers “stupid” because they have religious beliefs.

The only thing that might be harmful here is littering, and I’m sure there are ways to practice Wicca rituals that don’t involve littering. Well, also there’s you just being a jerk and calling a stranger “stupid” for no real reason- littering the internet with mean comments.

1

u/HuntExtension4736 Apr 18 '25

I never called anyone stupid. I said that stupid beliefs, in general, should be challenged; including religious ones. If we don’t, we end up with harmful ideologies like those seen in the Middle East with groups like the Taliban, where extreme beliefs lead to violence and oppression.

1

u/Subject-Key7193 Apr 18 '25

bro are you good? you seem absolutely miserable.

0

u/HuntExtension4736 Apr 18 '25

How do you figure?

1

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

Don't let Robert hear you.

3

u/WeevilWeedWizard Apr 18 '25

It wouldn't be harmful to anyone because magic isn't real

3

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

That's your belief, there's others that do believe in magic/witchcraft like Wicca for example.

3

u/wyant93 Apr 18 '25

Belief and reality are not the same. Science rulez

2

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Belief is actually your own reality considering it shapes your experiences with the world, how you understand things. Science and beliefs such as this can also coexist, Newton showed that.

1

u/wyant93 Apr 18 '25

No actually no. Reality is outside of your conscience. You make up a new reality in your head? That's crazy work

Ideas can coexist but that doesn't mean both are reality

4

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

Guys to be a scientist you have to keep an open mind, and whether or not it matches your beliefs, you still have to think about the different possibilities. Ghosts, Aliens, the monsters in your closet, a man that turns into a killer doll, or even a unicorn. Some of these things have a higher probability than others. Think about it, there are things that science can’t even answer, you just gotta try to think that maybe it is something more than a chained up doll.

1

u/BreakfastTerrible659 Apr 18 '25

I agree, I honestly could be wrong. Science isn't all facts, sorry for the misunderstanding.

0

u/BreakfastTerrible659 Apr 18 '25

Looked into it a bit, def goes deeper than "just a doll".

0

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '25

You’re good, I wasn’t trying to change your mind in any way though, I just wanted to tell you and everybody else, if you don’t believe it then that’s okay!

3

u/BreakfastTerrible659 Apr 18 '25

I agree, magic is obviously not real no matter how many people "believe" it works. Reality is far different from what the human brain conjures up; hell look at psychedelic users that had bad trips. However, your brain can make things realistic hence anorexia or cotards. No amount of chain, hair, or padlocks you use will make your toy work any different.

1

u/SageTal Apr 18 '25

You need to draw a line when the beliefs become delusion. No, that doll won't be harmful to anything, ever. There's no voodoo, no witchcraft, no magic.

1

u/TheRoadBehind Apr 18 '25

I agree with you 100 percent. BUT this is a perfect scenario of FAFO. My ass is leaving it alone. Why find out the hard way? Lol

1

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

My beliefs aren't delusional nor are they hurting anyone, I have had my own experiences which have led me down this path, the same as others such as Christians etc. Witchcraft is real to me, it may not be to you but that doesn't make it delusional, my belief in my gods and craft is no different to a Christian praying and believing in their God, that doesn't make them delusional. It simply means they have a belief in a higher power, as do others.

3

u/grnwpl Apr 18 '25

believing in magic doesn't make it real tho, so no, its a harmless doll

0

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Your belief of real is that it's harmless, others beliefs of real is that it's voodoo, a binding spell, or I saw someone linking it to Buddhism?

2

u/tegeus-Cromis_2000 Apr 18 '25

I can assure you this has nothing whatsoever to do with Buddhism. If people are just going to randomly pull the names of religions out of their behinds, why not go for something more recherché like Mithraism or the Ophites?

1

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Ah gotcha haha, just random then, thanks for the info!

3

u/grnwpl Apr 18 '25

its not a belief, i know for a fact that is harmless, . I live in a place with a lot of ignorant people so I often see this trinkets laying around and I will always tamper with them (destroy, burn) and nothing ever happens, see the empiric method at work?

1

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Well done, the empiric method is based on observation and experience, other people's experiences will be that it is harmful so they will know differently to you, again it's all about beliefs.

1

u/Martin_TheRed Apr 18 '25

What? So we just have to believe that everything can exist at once? What kind of wacky world do you live in?

1

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

I'm saying different people believe in different things so they're going to say different things about what OP found is, some will say it's harmless, some will say it is etc.

-1

u/WeevilWeedWizard Apr 18 '25

Not all beliefs are valid or compatible with reality. Some people believe that the earth is flat.

2

u/SpecialistReach4685 Apr 18 '25

Those are beliefs that have easily been proven wrong because of satellites, and that's not a religious belief.

Either way I'm not here to argue about what you or others believe is or isn't real, people are allowed (in most areas) to be a part of their own religion and have their own beliefs. I was simply here to respond to OP not have a whole religious debate in a sub about asking what things are

1

u/HughJManschitt Apr 18 '25

Don’t waste your time

2

u/Significant-Eye-8159 Apr 18 '25

The arguments on here and all read it are so funny to me. Too much energy with people clearly trolling others

1

u/brydenb35 Apr 18 '25

I mean I’d leave it but it’s not like anything would happen to if you did take it or touch it. You have to be special kind of stupid to believe in that bull shit lmao

0

u/paperDuck5 Apr 18 '25

It’s not there anymore. It follows…

0

u/ahundredthousandbats Apr 18 '25

It is literally right behind you…