Maddinks the Mute
October 10, 2024 Hazel da Breo
This article examines the figure of Maddinks, a non-speaking, untamed indigenous woman known as a shamanic healer and conductor of trauma releasement ceremonies, whose derogatory name references rumored mental instability. The authors argue that spirit possession should be understood within ceremonial and social contexts as serving to uphold morality and good mental health, rather than as a signifier for unwanted or sinister states. They also explore how music, dance, and trance states are used to stabilize and free the mind at personal and political levels.