Shamans

The term ôshamanismö is now assumed by many to be a Native American word, and they believe that shamanism is a universal North American Indian religion, but there is no such thing (McElroy, 2000). There are hundreds of North American Indian tribes, each with its own language, customs and beliefs. The trance-journeys of the Siberian shamans are not common practice with most North American Indians cultures. A shaman is defined as a master of the trance-journey, and shamanism refers to the beliefs and practices which arise from this technique. He is not a holy man or a medicine man.

Native North American Indians do not like the term ôs

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rms rituals in the morning, and observes the same abstentions as when preparing for a curing or sorcery throughout the four-night ceremony. Offerings are made to the disease at two points in the ceremony: buffalo grass seeds are offered at any time during the four-night ceremony; on the fourth night, pine nuts or acorn meal, and meat or fish are offered. The offerings are to tempt the sickness to leave the patient. The object causing the disease is removed on the third or fourth night, and a ritual offering to the disease is made at the end of the entire four-night ceremony (Siskin, 1983). This is done through a whistle or by mouth, usually the latter. It is always done from a kneeling position. Before and after the object, the shaman must extract the dirt that surrounds it, which he also does by sucking. He then spits or vomits it and the object into his hand or a container, and it is buried in a wet muddy place at the end of the ceremony. Sometimes it enters his body, and he may urinate or defecate immediately and fall into a coma. He cannot be touched or t person who touches him will die. He will wake and smoke a pipe to combat the disease now in him. Harner (1990) points out that many Westerners deride the sucki
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3264
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page)

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