Shamanism Essay -- essays research papers

Shamanism     Shamanism in Anthropology has been an entity in a constant metamorphosis.It has always been considered exotic and its existence around the globe was neer contradicted. However, over the years it did not receive the scholarlyattention that it so requires. The age of discovery garnered a multitude ofinformation on shamanism totally over the world. The reporters invested a greatdeal of accuracy in the gathering of the information, but their observationalskills were mostly underdeveloped. Furtherto a greater extent as could be expected, they sawand evaluated things solely on the basis of European religion and kindly customs(Flaherty, 1992, pp.3) without having it necessary to view its ramifications tothe people who are so imbued by it. Despite these methodologies which weregrave in nature, matters began to shift during the 1940s and 1950s when thesocial sciences were rapidly coming into their own disciplines. Shamanism, wasbeginning to be looked upon as a complex religious notions and modes ofbehaviour (Lommel, 1967, pp.8). Although shamanism was beginning to tacklescholarly attention there were still different contradicting theories being laidout in the scientific community. More recently since the notion of tribalismhas become more prevalent shamanism is beginning to be recognized as holding thekey puzzle in life. Furthermore, it is growing and encompassing many areas suchas Psychology, Pharmacology, and even believe it or not Physics. Now before weelaborate on the historical significance of shamaninsm in anthropology it isimperative that a general translation of shamanism is established.     In order to study shamanism the shaman must first be understood. Theoriginal word shaman came form the Ural mountains in Russia. It utilise topeople who acted in several non-ordinary capacities for their tribes. Shamansmay be defined as man or a woman who through their ability to enter a trancestate in any given mo ment can influence the course of events, find lost orstolen items and identify the criminal when a crime takes place. Thus in asense shamanism is the practising of these mechanisms in trying to make sense ofthe world. As you can see it encompasses various facets of the social life fromhealing illness to maintaining social order. This definition of shamanism isvery brief and reall... ...ps altered its course.     The implications of these questions go on and on however, one thing isfor sure and that the study of shamanism with its recent glorification israpidly expanding. It is beginning to encompass areas that it never permeatedfor this reason perhaps it is time that a new discipline is created. unrivalled thatin its own way will combine the best of humanities with certain aspects ofanthropology, medicine and the physical sciences. " Perhaps it is time for ashamanology " (Flaherty, pp.215)BIBLIGRAPHY1.     Eliade, Mircea. Shamanism And crude Techniques of Ecstasy. Paris,1951.2.     Devereux, G. Normal and Abnormal Key problems of PsychiatricAnthropology. Washingtno, 1956.3. Flaherty, Gloria. Shamanism In The Eighteen Century. PrincetonPriceton University Press, 1992.4.     Krader, L. Buryat Religion and Society, Southwestern Journal ofAnthropology, 10, 1954.5.     Lewis, I.M. Ecstatic Religion. Middlesex Penguin, 1971.6. Lommel, Andreas. Shamanism The Beginnings of Art. New York McGraw--Hill, 1973.