According to Nanay emic ideas, shamanic disease, which affects a shaman in the period of his or her formation, also affects his or her relatives, who begin to suffer from nervous disorders and other problems but recover at their new shaman’s incarnation. A similar spiritual correlation within the group of relatives becomes apparent also when a shaman is involved in a situation which connects...
This article discusses the sociological hierarchies among Nanay shamans. The shamans evaluate one another and the community also evaluates them, ranking them in myriad informal ways in terms of effectiveness with spirits and healing power. These rankings come about through discursive activities associated with recounting shamanic healing and other ritual practices. While shamans try to maintain...
Every radical change that Nanai experienced in the 20th century divided the young people of this indigenous minority in Russia in two groupsradicals and conservatives, sharing values of the older generation.This way, in the period of establishing the Soviet power, radicals were members of the Young Communist League (Komsomol) who repressed shamans, whereas conservatives were those young people...