2019-06-26
                              Shamanism I


In English, the term shamanism refers to a variety of traditional
religious practices found across the world. These traditions center
around the shaman, a member of the community who has the ability to
access (or travel to) the spirit realm and convene with certain spirits
there, such as ancestor spirits, nature spirits, or deities. Through
doing so, the shaman can receive counsel from the spirits or make
requests of them, such as to heal someone or to bring favourable
weather.

The word shaman has its origin in the Manchu-Tungus word ?aman 'one who
knows', and was used by the Russians to describe certain indigenous
religious practices in Siberia. The term then came to be used by Western
anthropologists to describe a wider variety of similar or related
religious practices in both Siberia and the surrounding areas. These
practices share similarities with traditional religious practices found
in other parts of the world, notably the Americas, hence the broad
present-day use of the term shamanism in English.

In this entry, I will talk specifically about shamanism in Mongolia, the
only kind with which I have a direct familiarity. I should note at the
outset that I have only a limited knowledge of these religious
practices, based on my recent short trip to Mongolia.

Shamanism was described to me as one of the major religions of Mongolia,
along with Buddhism. In a similar situation to Shinto in Japan, some
Mongolians participate in both shamanic and Buddhist religious
practices, and shamanism today has likely been influenced by Buddhist
traditions. In the parts of Mongolia I visited, in the Khovsgol
province, which borders Russian Siberia to the north, shamanism is the
dominant religion.

Something I was surprised to learn is that shamans do not lead ascetic
lives (like monks and many other holy people), but rather have rich
secular, family, and community lives outside of their religious
activities. Shamanism is an occupation, and the shamans' lives outside
of their work are much like those of anyone else in their community.

We got to watch one shaman perform a ritual. This particular ritual was
to bring rain (the surrounding area, much of which was pasture to
livestock, had been dry for a while). Although performed for tourists,
this indeed felt like an authentic ritual and not just a reenactment of
one. Shamanism is a living, as well as traditional, religious practice.

Under instruction from our guide, we had brought some lollies,
biscuits, and vodka as an offering.

The ritual began with the shaman playing a mouth harp (other rituals
often involve a drum instead) and then sprinkling vodka around the
sacred area using a sprig. Vodka is a common drink in Mongolia but is
also used in rituals for its connotations of purity, being distilled.
This was followed by various recitations and more playing of the harp.
At this point, the shaman fell into trance. He literally fell to his
knees on the ground from standing and I was surprised this didn't seem
to hurt, but the shaman must have already left his body by this point.
He knelt, motionless, for maybe a couple of minutes before getting up
again. His expression suggested returning from a distant place. The
ritual was concluded with more recitation and another sprinkling of
vodka.

We were then obliged to share in the lollies and biscuits we had brought
as an offering. The shaman and the other locals partook of yak's milk
tea (a common drink in the region, also consumed outside of religious
ceremonies). The atmosphere was convivial, with the shaman chatting to
our guide and driver, a contrast from the solemnity I often expect
around rituals.

As we were driving back, it began to rain.