Beliefs and Practices of a Shaman
Traditionally most shamans are men, though some women do become shamans. The Calling Becoming a shaman is not just a job; it is a vocation. Usually, a young initiate must be “called” through a visitation of the spirits. Often, the call to shamanize is directly related to a near death experience or serious illness. A common experience of the call to shamanism is a psychic or spiritual crisis accompanying a physical illness, so that a shaman can overcome the negative powers of death and disease and heal others with empathy. After the initiatory illness, the novice shaman studies with a mentor for years to master trance states and shamanic traditions. Names and functions of spirits, the mythology and genealogy of the clan and sacred chants must also be studied by the shaman-in-training. Paja Thao followed a similar vocation: at age 17, he became very sick and nearly died. An elder shaman in the village recognized this condition and told Paja that the spirits had chosen him to be a shaman. Paja apprenticed with the shaman for several years before leading rituals on his own.
The Shaman’s Many Roles To an outsider, the shaman might be perceived as a primitive medical doctor. In reality, he or she is a revered and essential member of the community, acting as physician, spiritual minister, dream interpreter, psychiatrist and elder statesman who serves as a bridge between the physical and spirit worlds. The shaman’s healing rituals provide existence with a moral interpretation and meaningfulness. According to anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss, the function of a shaman is to reproduce and restore belief, not physical health.