Home of the Small Sand Doll - Dolly Diaries
DIARY OF A SMALL DOLL
VUDU ARRIVAL
The Opening Ceremony
Pes was a busy doll and had no time to be out wandering shopping malls everyday.
She thought E-Bay was good and loved to rescue small dolls from the Internet.
A parcel had arrived from Washington USA and the anxious dolls gathered for the opening ceremony. Helga explained to Golley that they had to open the package carefully. This was the first parcel Golley had seen. His jumping excitement took his nose close to strange writing on the parcel. Helga said these were the postage details.
Pes wondered if the new doll in box had a postage stamp or scanning mark.Golley said he wanted a scanning mark, until Helga explained that tattoos really didn't suit dark skinned dolls.
Pes unwrapped the parcel and pulled out the soft white paper.
She could feel lumps in the paper - they did not move.
Maybe the new doll had suffered jet lag and died on the way across the Pacific Ocean. Helga said that the doll was probably exhausted from the long journey and just sleeping. Golley wanted to jump on the soft lumps to make them move.
With the entire bundle slid out of the box, Helga began to unfold the soft paper while Pes explained to a startled Golley, that the doll may be traumatised from the journey and may be violent. He best stand back. The inquisitive Golley was determined not to be frightened as the wrapping unfolded and the brightly dressed doll lay motionless before him. His eyes nearly popped out when he saw the big red lips on the new doll. Pes explained that dolls from the Caribbean had big lips for kissing. Golley could not move his eyes off the big red lubby lips.
Helga pointed out that even though the doll had big lips her feet were very small and delicate.
Golley had never seen such huge lips - not even on the television. Pes said lots of females has big lips and even some old male singers.
Vudu was a little Charabanc cloth doll. Her big green eyes matched her big red lips. She was relieved to be unwrapped and out of the box. Pes and Golley helped her to stand up. Golley could not contain himself and did a little dance on the box.
Pes and Vudu were impressed with Golleys nifty footwork.Pes thought Vudu's yellow hot pants outfit was quite smart and wanted one of her own.
Helga explained that her legs were probably not of the same shape and yellow hot pants may make her look like she had fat thighs. Pes was horrified and said she would stick to wearing dresses then.
Before long the new doll from the Caribbean had settled in and was chatting to the South African doll about new dance skirts and head scarfs. Golley was not interested in all the girl talk and went off discovering.
He noticed another white package that had a big green circle on it.Pes didn't know much about African head dress and joined Golley to check out the new package.
She pointed out to Golley that it has postage marks on the it and started to open the sticky end. 
Vudu and the African doll were inquisitive and had exhausted all the colours of South African tribal material. They watched as an excited Golley stuck his nose in the package, then his head.
Pes told him to watch out for staples because she didn't think a band aid would stick to him if he got a cut. Golley said it was dark but there was a bundle of worms in the package. Pes thought that was silly, she could not smell dirt and worms lived in dirt.
Helga explained that not all worms live in dirt. There were some that lived in animals and birds and people. Pes thought that was funny because plants did not grow in animals, birds or people.
Helga helped Pes pull out the clear plastic pouch from the white envelope. Pes watched for wriggly worms while Golley had an itchy butt and scratched it.
He could see a mass of moving little black things in the bag.He wanted to take a closer look, Helga held him back saying don't get too close, they may bite.
Pes giggled and said they were her little Traveller Dolls from Africa.
She quickly opened the plastic bag, took one out and gave it to Helga, Golley thought they were cute, but the rest scrambled out of the bag and were soon all over Pes and Helga.
Golley did not know what to make of so many little dolls, and was apprehensive as Pes held out one for him to hold. Before he had time to run off, a cheeky little one with red and pink stripes jumped on him and wanted to smooch. 
He froze in horror and wanted to swat the cheeky little doll. His arm was too short to reach it and just as he was about to jump up and down to shake it off, Helga held a little one with a green and yellow dress and began to tell him the story of the little Traveller Doll.
She said this little Traveller Doll has journeyed from its home in South Africa where over 26,000 little traveller dolls have been beaded with the aid of skilled craftsmen in support of families affected by HIV/aids. Golley didn't know how many 26,000 was, but was mighty glad they all did not try to squeeze into the plastic bag.
Dolly Diary entry 27 June 2008. Kincumber NSW
For more information on the Little Travellers Initiative click on the link above.
doll diaries
Petite in the woods - coming soonIntroduction I - Potty and the Orb Web Weaver
Introduction II - Lake Baikai to Cicadas at Coppacabana
Introduction III - Haunting Lights of the Seventh Millennium coming soon
Adventure I - Unpacking the Tennessee RedNecks
Adventure II - Pes & Ellen-ly discover the Aussie Way
Adventure III - Part 1 Pes Livingstone does Northern Queensland
Part 2 Basheir to Bundaberg coming soon
Adventure IV - The tuna that turned out to be a chook
Adventure V - A Scary encounter with the hairy Tweed Valley Troll coming soon
Adventure VI - Pes and Ellen-ly meet the Dolly Llama coming soon
Adventure VII - Bugs of the Secret Garden
Adventure VIII - The Opening Ceremony -Vudu arrival
CRAFTERS OF THE TRAVELLER DOLL
Ntombi is a vivacious thirty-nine year old woman who is involved in the beading projects and is a home-based carer at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust. She has two daughters, one of whom is twenty-four and the other thirteen years of age, and one granddaughter, who is eight. Ntombi also lives with her sister, and her sister's daughter and granddaughter.
Ntombi has been a volunteer home-based carer for seven years, and she cares or six clients in the community. She says that the job is emotionally draining, as she often finds that her clients' situations are heart breaking. Ntombi says that she copes by bracing herself emotionally before visiting the homes.
Ntombi has been beading since 1999, when she learned at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre. She says that she has been making Little Traveller dolls "since the beginning". In fact, Ntombi created the first Little Travellers to have long hair! Nowadays, she specializes in the large dolls that adorn Little Traveller displays in Canada and elsewhere.
Ntombi says that when she sees a Little Traveller, she sees a person. She goes on to explain that this is why she makes them beautiful - because she is creating a human being! Ntombi says that after making Little Travellers, she often lays them on her sofa and admires them for a while.