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Necromancy – Magic or practice with the intent to communicate with the deadĮye – The clear plastic or glass part of the planchette that shows the messageĬonjure – To “call upon a spirit” by means of magicĭivination – The practice of seeking knowledge (oftentimes in search of answers about the future) by supernatural means Seance – A meeting, typically with a medium or other spiritualists, in which people intend to communicate with the dead Planchette – the heart-shaped piece that accompanies Ouija, with an eye or viewing glass where the message will be spelt Add these to your talking board terminology sheet and prepare to delve one step further into the paranormal world: Elijah Bond is pointed to for the patent and invention and William Fuld is typically credited with pioneering Ouija in the early years he then sold the trademark to Parker Brothers which became Hasbro and still holds the trademark today.”ĭeciding to use a Ouija Board for the first time is one thing, but for newbies with no experience in paranormal communication, it can be overwhelming to understand the dos, don’ts and phrases essential for a smooth and safe experience. Take the 1940s alone – tons of novelty companies stuck their neck in the game with spin-off names like ‘We-Ja Girl’ and ‘Sphinx Oracle Board’ – all the names under the sun with brilliant and unique artwork – centred around a similar design: letters arranged in some fashion on a board with a sliding planchette that you and friends call on spirits to move and spell messages with. Following the introduction, there was an explosion of talking boards – you could collect for a lifetime and not acquire every single piece in its entirety. The first boards were constructed of attractive stained wood, with stencilled letters and wooden planchettes. At this time, it was not marketed as it is today, with campy graphics and battery-operated planchettes. Ouija takes its roots in Baltimore, Maryland – discussion of talking boards in spiritualist communities is sprinkled in prior- but the patent is credited to the city in the early 1890s. It is not the only existing talking board, but the mysterious name garners the most attention. In advertising, they promote asking questions and receiving intelligent responses from the “other side” with Ouija. It consists of two parts – a planchette that is almost heart-shaped with an eye and a flat, rectangular board with the alphabet on it. “Technically speaking, ‘Ouija’ is the trademark name of a spirit communication device, known as a talking board, that is marketed as a board game and directed at individuals eight years and up.
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We turned the lights out, lit some candles and expected some big production but gave up when nothing happened. I had carried around the board for shock value at that time because I thought they were “edgy” and finally attempted to use it. It didn’t work, but I was also trying to use it with my college friends in a very modern apartment complex. I was gifted the 1990s Ouija with the hands-on the cover and we tried it because we never had before. “I think I was in college when I first used a Ouija Board. With unsettling and often unexplained ways of connecting with spirits, Ouija, or more widely categorised as talking boards, are branded by the media as not for the faint of heart, but are they really as terrifying as they seem? We spoke to embalmer by day and ghost hunter and spooky TikTok sensation by night, Beckie-Ann Galentine, who has been using Ouija boards for over a decade to uncover everything you should know before delving into the world of Ouija…
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As a popular culture phenomenon and a signature component of the horror film starter pack, the infamous Ouija board has a reputation bolder than Taylor Swift’s sixth studio album itself.
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