I Used Voodoo to Win a TV Competition, But Found Something Better

The topic is documentaries.

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 4:30 am.

Mikaela had voodoo dolls.

Six Australian filmmakers traveled the world to make short films for ABC iview's Race Around The World.

This is Mikaela's story from her week six travels in Louisiana, USA.

I was second last on the leaderboard. I decided to cheat with magic.

I didn't use money or rules to cheat, but magic.

I didn't believe in magic. I still don't.

Maybe I do now. Maybe not.

I'm not sure.

I arrived in New Orleans after weeks of traveling for the competition.

Every week meant a new country, film, deadline, and challenge.

I finished one film, then started thinking about the next one.

The competition was hard because of the jet lag, feedback, and new places.

The show didn't give us much time to rest.

We had to keep moving and not look back.

After traveling to many places, New Orleans felt different.

The city was slow and humid, with music and people talking.

The competition was about being fast, but New Orleans was about slowing down.

I slowed down to listen to street musicians.

I was feeling tired and decided to make a film about winning with voodoo.

I interviewed people who knew about magic and witchcraft.

I wanted to use magic to get better scores from the judges.

I asked questions like 'How will this competition end for me?'

I didn't ask if I would win, but what I could learn from the experience.

The people I interviewed told me to slow down and not focus on the outcome.

One medium warned me about working too much and another told me to sleep.

I got a stone that was supposed to give me strength.

I had my fortune told on the street.

Maybe I started to believe in the magic.

New Orleans was slowing me down.

You can watch all the week six films from Race Around The World.

One evening, I went back to a shop I had filmed at to ask a question.

I ended up talking to many people about life and work.

An hour and a half passed, and we didn't notice.

I went to a jazz bar and just listened to the music.

I sat there for hours.

I watched people on Bourbon Street.

Those moments proved the psychics right.

I had been focused on the next place and film, but New Orleans made me stop.

Maybe I was trying to fix my future by slowing down.

I joined a band on the street.

The psychics didn't tell me if I would win, but to enjoy the journey.

They reminded me that the journey was more important than winning.

I left New Orleans with something helpful.

The psychics told me to enjoy the journey, not just the end.

I still have the strength stone in my camera bag.

Mikaela Zuiderduyn is a contestant on ABC iview's Race Around The World.

You can stream Race Around The World on ABC iview or watch on ABC TV.

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 4:30 am.

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 7:11 am.

See more ABC coverage.

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I Used Voodoo to Win a TV Competition, But Found Something Better

The topic is documentaries.

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 4:30 am.

Mikaela had voodoo dolls.

Six Australian filmmakers traveled the world to make short films for ABC iview's Race Around The World.

This is Mikaela's story from her week six travels in Louisiana, USA.

I was second last on the leaderboard. I decided to cheat with magic.

I didn't use money or rules to cheat, but magic.

I didn't believe in magic. I still don't.

Maybe I do now. Maybe not.

I'm not sure.

I arrived in New Orleans after weeks of traveling for the competition.

Every week meant a new country, film, deadline, and challenge.

I finished one film, then started thinking about the next one.

The competition was hard because of the jet lag, feedback, and new places.

The show didn't give us much time to rest.

We had to keep moving and not look back.

After traveling to many places, New Orleans felt different.

The city was slow and humid, with music and people talking.

The competition was about being fast, but New Orleans was about slowing down.

I slowed down to listen to street musicians.

I was feeling tired and decided to make a film about winning with voodoo.

I interviewed people who knew about magic and witchcraft.

I wanted to use magic to get better scores from the judges.

I asked questions like 'How will this competition end for me?'

I didn't ask if I would win, but what I could learn from the experience.

The people I interviewed told me to slow down and not focus on the outcome.

One medium warned me about working too much and another told me to sleep.

I got a stone that was supposed to give me strength.

I had my fortune told on the street.

Maybe I started to believe in the magic.

New Orleans was slowing me down.

You can watch all the week six films from Race Around The World.

One evening, I went back to a shop I had filmed at to ask a question.

I ended up talking to many people about life and work.

An hour and a half passed, and we didn't notice.

I went to a jazz bar and just listened to the music.

I sat there for hours.

I watched people on Bourbon Street.

Those moments proved the psychics right.

I had been focused on the next place and film, but New Orleans made me stop.

Maybe I was trying to fix my future by slowing down.

I joined a band on the street.

The psychics didn't tell me if I would win, but to enjoy the journey.

They reminded me that the journey was more important than winning.

I left New Orleans with something helpful.

The psychics told me to enjoy the journey, not just the end.

I still have the strength stone in my camera bag.

Mikaela Zuiderduyn is a contestant on ABC iview's Race Around The World.

You can stream Race Around The World on ABC iview or watch on ABC TV.

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 4:30 am.

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 7:11 am.

See more ABC coverage.

Promotion

Top Stories

Topic: Tariffs

Topic: Mining and Metals Industry

Topic: Cyber Security

Topic: AI

Analysis by Cam Wilson

Top Stories

Topic: Tariffs

Topic: Mining and Metals Industry

Topic: Cyber Security

Topic: AI

Analysis by Cam Wilson

Just In

Topic: Invasive Species

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11:59 am.

Topic: AI

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11:58 am.

Topic: AI

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11:51 am.

Topic: Industrial Action

It was Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 11:48 am.