Where Did the Planchette Come From?

How did the tool used in spirit summoning in the 19th century become one of the most enduring symbols of the occult in popular culture?

According to Ambassador Arjan, the Ouija board has been a part of American culture since the end of the 19th century, whether as a tool for summoning spirits, a scary game at night parties (Pajm) or as a tool in horror movies. This seemingly simple device that contains the alphabet, numbers and a sliding wooden board promises something extraordinary; A way for ordinary people to communicate with the spirit world.

Vija boards appeared in the context of spiritualism; The belief based on which the living can communicate with the dead. Although spiritualist beliefs are thousands of years old, spiritualism became more important and influential as a movement in the United States in the mid-19th century; Especially during the American Civil War and the years after, when many Americans were mourning their loved ones.

In 1848, two teenage sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox, claimed to be able to communicate with a spirit that was making mysterious and inexplicable knocking noises in their home in Hydesville, New York. The Fox sisters became celebrities and, managed by their older sister, Leah, traveled to different cities around the country to showcase their talent. Their success helped spread the fledgling spiritism movement, and other people called "mediums"—those who claimed to be able to communicate between the living and the dead—also began holding séances.

Mary Todd Lincoln, the first lady of the United States, was among the people who turned to spiritualism. He used to participate in spirit summoning sessions and even hosted such sessions in the White House.

Mediums used various methods to communicate with spirits; including a method called "turning the table". In this method, the participants put their hands on the table and call out the letters of the alphabet at the same time; In the hope that the spirit will choose the desired letters and make words by shaking the table.

In 1886, newspapers reported the spread of a new instrument in spiritualist camps in the state of Ohio; A tool that speeds up communication with the supernatural world. This device, which was called "talking board", consisted of a wooden board with letters and numbers and a piece called "planchet".

To use this board, usually two or more people would gently place their fingertips on the board and ask a question. Then the tablet seemed to move across the board, pointing to the letters, one after the other, making the words; It also shows numbers or answers like "yes" and "no".

How did talking boards become a commercial product?

Charles Kennard, a Baltimore businessman, saw an opportunity to produce and market a version of the "talking boards" to capitalize on the interest in spiritualism among grieving Americans. Kennard in collaboration with E. C. Raisheh, the funeral director and his neighbor, built a prototype of this device; But very soon he left Raisheh out of this cooperation. Instead, he gathered a group of investors and founded Cunard Novelty.

One of these investors was Elijah Bond, a lawyer from Baltimore, who made changes to the device and applied for a patent in 1890. He assigned the patent to Kennard and another investor, William H. A. Maupin, surrendered.

According to what has become a legend about the origin of the device's name, Helen Peters, a medium and Bond's sister-in-law, asked the board to choose a name for herself and the board showed the word "vija". It is said that when asked the meaning of this word, the tablet showed the letters that made the phrase "good luck".

Another version says that Peters was wearing a necklace with a picture of a woman on it and the word "Wija" was written below the picture. Some researchers believe that the woman may be Maria Louise Rami, the writer who was known by the pseudonym "Oveda"; A name that may have been misread.

Finally, on February 10, 1891, after Peters demonstrated the board's spiritual function to a patent officer, its patent application was granted.

Although users may feel the tablet moving spontaneously, the researchers attribute this movement to the "ideomotor effect"; A phenomenon in which a person makes small and unconscious muscle contractions and movements without being aware of his movements.

How did Wija boards become popular?

Since its launch, Wija board has been widely welcomed. This device was attractive to different ranges of people; People who wanted to communicate with spirits without the help of mediums.

The device's popularity increased dramatically after devastating wars, especially World War I and World War II. Another wave of acceptance of the Wija board was formed after the Parker Brothers company bought the rights to this product in 1966; The period that coincided with the Vietnam War.

However, it wasn't until 1973 that the board was widely recognized as a horror device. In that year, this board became one of the main elements of the story of the movie The Exorcist; A film that played an important role in connecting the board with fear and supernatural affairs in popular culture.