From the sound of throat singing to the sounds of shamanic practice: Structural organisation of shamanic rituals in Tuva
Новые исследования Тувы June 18, 2017 Malgorzata Stelmaszyk
In Tuva, a republic within the Russian Federation, shamanic practice is distinguished by a lack of trance and a heavy reliance on sound and music. The organizational structure of the sound unit used in throat singing, based on an overtone-rich timbre system, provides a wider framework of thought and behavior that underlies the organization of shamanic rituals. Sounds are not only integral to shamans' communications with spirits but also serve as an analytical lens for understanding shamanic practice and sociocosmic interactions in Tuva.