Shamanism

Shamanism is a family of spiritual traditions in which ritual specialists called shamans interact with spirits to heal, guide, or influence events.

Spirit possession: A state in which a spirit is believed to inhabit or control a person. Some shamanic rites involve a spirit entering the specialist or another participant.
Tungusic peoples: A group of Indigenous peoples of northeastern Asia whose languages belong to the Tungusic family. The English word “shaman” derives through Russian from a Tungusic term.
Evenki people: An Indigenous people of northern Asia with communities across Siberia and China. Evenki traditions are among the Siberian practices historically associated with shamanism.
Priest: A religious official authorized to perform rites and mediate between a community and its sacred order. Shamans are often distinguished from priests by spirit encounters and individually acquired ritual authority.
Cultural appropriation: The adoption of cultural elements by people outside the culture, especially amid unequal power relations. Commercialized shamanic practices can detach sacred knowledge from the communities that sustain it.
Trance: A state of focused attention or altered awareness, sometimes accompanied by reduced responsiveness to surroundings. Shamans may use trance to undertake spirit journeys or receive guidance.
Siberia: A vast region of northern Asia extending across much of Russia. European accounts of Siberian ritual specialists helped shape the category called shamanism.
Mongolian shamanism: Shamanic traditions practiced by Mongolian communities, involving relations with spirits and ancestors. It shows how shamanic practice takes distinct forms within a particular cultural setting.
Mediumship: The practice of communicating with spirits, often by serving as their channel. Mediumship overlaps with shamanic spirit communication but does not necessarily involve journeys or healing.
Indigenous rights: The collective and individual rights of Indigenous peoples, including rights to culture, land, and self-determination. These rights inform debates over access to and representation of shamanic traditions.

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