Siberian shamanism

What it is

Shamanism in Siberia is a diverse set of religio-cultural practices found among the many ethnic groups of North Asia. Researchers often call this region the heartland of the tradition. It involves specialists who enter altered states to interact with spirits. These journeys are used to heal illness, retrieve lost souls, or communicate with the unseen world. The practice is not a single unified religion but a collection of traditions shared across different cultures and language families.

Where it comes from

The concept of shamanism was largely shaped by classical ethnographers recording Siberian sources. The English word comes from the Evenk term saman. Other groups use different roots: the Buryat use böö, derived from Proto-Turkic bögü meaning sage. Uralic speakers use terms like noaidi. The etymology suggests deep historical links between Siberian peoples and those who migrated west, such as the Hungarians.

How it is done

Practitioners conduct spirit-journeys, often reenacting dreams where they rescued a client's soul. Seances involve specific songs and music that mimic natural sounds like birds or wolves. In some cultures, shamans imitate animal noises to represent helping spirits. Women may accompany these rites by making reindeer calf sounds to encourage fertility. The practice varies greatly, with some shamans using drums or specific crowns for different spiritual realms.

Tools and materials

Tools include drums, sometimes featuring two transoms or skeleton-like overlays symbolizing rebirth. Shamans wear dresses and headdresses decorated with effigies of human organs or bones. Music is a primary tool, utilizing overtone singing and onomatopoeia. Specific items like three different crowns might be used for the upper world, the underworld, or childbirth rituals.

What it is for

The main intent is healing through soul retrieval during crises. Shamans also contact the dead or spirits of the upper and lower worlds. Some rites aim to provide fertility, such as when women imitate reindeer sounds. Others seek luck or protection through communication with animal helper spirits like the polar bear or loon.

Who does it

Shamans can be male or female, though female forms often share a common linguistic root. Training is not always formal; some traditions suggest women practiced earlier than men. Specialists are distinguished by their function, such as curing versus performing sacral rites. Status varies, with some shamans associated with specific animals like deer or bears.

Peoples and places

The tradition spans Uralic, Samoyedic, Turkic, and Tungusic peoples. Nganasans and Nenets kept living traditions into the twentieth century. Buryats and Soyots show influences from Mongol and Turkic neighbors. Hungarian folklore retains remnants of ancient shamanic motifs despite migration. The Ket people maintained practices until the mid-twentieth century, sharing features with Turkic and Mongolic groups.

What people believe

Beliefs center on the spirit world and the shaman's ability to travel between realms. Skeleton symbolism on clothing represents shamanic rebirth or the bones of helper animals. Spirits are believed to inhabit natural elements and animals. The hearth goddess Etügen is linked to female shamanic roots. Journeys allow the practitioner to navigate the sky and underwater worlds simultaneously.

When it is done

Rites occur during life crises, healing needs, and seasonal events. The clean tent rite is held after the polar night and includes sacrifices. Some practices are tied to childbirth or fertility cycles. Daily life interactions with spirits also guide routine activities for households.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Ethnographers like Diószegi Vilmos and Mihály Hoppál compared Siberian records with Hungarian and other Uralic folklore. They trace linguistic and mythological connections across vast distances. Researchers note the decline of authentic practice due to language shifts and isolation ending. Film recordings from the 1970s preserved last known Nganasan seances.

Compare and confuse

Siberian shamanism shares features with Sami noaidi practices in Europe, such as joik singing. It relates to Turkic and Mongolic traditions through cultural exchange. Hungarian folklore preserves distant echoes of these Siberian roots. Inuit throat singing uses similar sound mimesis but serves different social purposes.

Law and persecution

However, historical suppression occurred as Christianity and state policies spread. Many practices were driven underground or forgotten as communities modernized.

Today

Living traditions persist among isolated groups like the Nganasans, though numbers are small. Folklore retains fragments of songs and rhymes in Hungary and among Ugrian peoples. Scholars continue to record remaining memories and paraphernalia before these histories vanish completely.

Questions people ask about Siberian shamanism

Good reading and sources

• Shamanism in Siberia on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data