A calabash bowl is common in vodou and all of African spirituality. It is used for us to eat out of and it is used for offerings to your spirits and ancestors, it is safe for cooked food to be placed in and put on your alter as a offering during rituals and ceremonies. In a lot of rituals everyone will be aging out of one with their hands. Each bowl is unique as they are all different in its natural state of being. I have also seen the calabash bowl used to mix herbs in for bath that was done.