Can WESTERNERS be SHAMANS? Academic perspectives on Shamanism in the West

Can Westerners become Shamans? Academic perspectives on Shamanism in the West

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REFERENCES
Botta, S. (2018) Dagli sciamani allo sciamanesimo: discorsi, credenze, pratiche, Carocci.
Flaherty, G. (2014) Shamanism and the Eighteenth Century, Princeton University Press.
Francfort, H. P., Hamayon, R. and Bahn, P. G. (2001) The Concept of Shamanism: Uses and Abuses, Akadémiai Kiadó.
Harvey, G. (2003) Shamanism: A Reader, Routledge.
Noel, D. C. (1999) The Soul of Shamanism: Western Fantasies, Imaginal Realities, New York, Continuum Intl Pub Group.
Wallis, R. J. (2003) Shamans/Neo-Shamans: Ecstasies, Alternative Archaeologies and Contemporary Pagans, 1 edition., London, New York, Routledge.

00:00 Introduction: The word Shaman
01:11 The term is evolving
02:29 Western Shamanisms
04:00 The role of the ‘exotic’
05:42 The answer
07:04 Support Angela’s Symposium

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[Frithogar]

This is fascinating. I have not looked into shamanism up to now - falsely thinking it was a geographically isolated phenomenon. But, when I take note of Stutley's common traits (your video What is Shamanism? ) I realise that is practically a worldwide practice -from Africa to the Pacific. That added to the fact that it has survived for millennia means it must be important to human survival and wellbeing. It should also give insight into our individual and group consciousness much like the near-universal belief in fairy-like beings seems to. I look forward to more videos and will peruse your back catalog :)

[libertaddepercepcion]

Angela I’m so glad I found you! I LOVE the academic foundation of your videos. I’m writing a thesis on lucid dreaming and on some parts of my writing I’m including information from ancient “shamanic” practices. And I just love how you problematize the whole term “shaman”

[livrowland]

There is an issue here as to whether 'being a shamen' is the same as practicing shamanic techniques. Traditionally a shamen has a certain role in their community whereas many western people explore shamanic practices as part of their personal spiritual journey (edit: realise now that you did address this).

[rankemperor]

Hello Angela! People with the written word have carved up the traditional role of shaman into politics, medicine and religion. The Three Professions. There are tribes who believe this to be an invitation to chaos and disaster. It is also why it is so hard for would-be shaman to find a place in western culture.

[briannacery]

Healing may take place in states of non-ordinary realty for some and it may be harmful to others who do not have a mentor and support.

[foxxtales]

Really great video! Ive seen this dynamic play out in my own spiritual communities and this has been a dialogue Ive had with myself and others around claiming titles and identities.

Im a settler/colonial on stolen indigenous land and there is a lot of tension around the appropriation of that land and the cultures associated with it, or the replacement of those cultures with white, new-agey, 'Earth Centered', spiritualities that continue the project of colonization

Anyhow, Im looking forward to more! Great channel! 🥰

[boleslawtoporek]

Finally I can dig up some info from my master's thesis 👍 A great source for academic research of shamanism is a book by Mircea Eliade - archaic techniques of ecstasy, where as you said the root of the word shaman (śaman) is found in tunguskan language, however some point to phonetic likenesses in tocharian and sogdian languages. Another hypothesis leans towards the origins of the word in India which then migrated through Middle Asia to Syberia. Anywho glad I found your channel, great work!

[cleverdragoness]

I would love to hear your thoughts on how cultural appropriation plays into this Shamanism.

[rursus]

4:37: Now, what was the question now again? Whether westerners can be shamans, or why we ask such a question? OK, now it appears that shamans have to be appointed by others, can we? Yes we can. Do we? Not that I know of. Is it possible that the academic term shaman can be applied to Anglophones that aren't "indigenous" in ordinary terms? Well, yes it is possible, for me, a Swede, a central USA citizen is very, very "indigenous." It's an odd place with lot's of weird people, so they certainly have lots of shamans, called "priests" and "healers" laying hands on people and expelling demons. They see "signs" everywhere, so they are animists, and they believe that God created nature, so they must be shamans.

[MidnightMark]

Do native American 'shamans' ~not~ predate their Alpine counterparts?

Grazie mille.

[DmitriyKushnirTV]

Anybody can become a shaman. The real question is not If?, but Why?

[cailleachnacoill]

I do believe Westeners can be shamans, too. Still, as a practitioner, I'm not comfortable with the self defining. Both because there's a strong psychological side in the thing, having to do with ego, self-affirmation etc that should be analyzed and because - as you know better than I do - we, as Westeners, lack one very important point out of the three that tell us who is a shaman. The three points are the person him/serself, the Spirits and the community, the people of the social group or tribe, who know the traditions, the signs etc and can legitimate the person as an actual shaman. We now lack this knowledge, we lost our traditions and all we can do is name someone as "shaman" out of our personal knowledge or impression, which is far away different from relying on a historical, strong and shared tradition. OK so, Westeners can be shamans, yes, but can they also self legitimate their status? Isn't this a form of cultural imperialism and appropriation as well?