shaman

Shaman is a practitioner in various traditional cultures who acts as an intermediary between humans and the spirit world. Shamanic roles commonly include healing, divination, guidance, and the conduct of communal rituals. The term originates from the Tungusic languages of Siberia and was adopted into European scholarship in the 19th century; many cultures have analogous roles but use different names, such as medicine man, curandero, or sangoma.

Practices vary, but shamans typically seek guidance from spirits through altered states of consciousness. Common methods to enter these states include drumming, chanting or singing, dancing, fasting, solitude, and sometimes the use of sacred plants or other substances. While in trance, a shaman may diagnose illness, retrieve a lost soul, or negotiate with spirits to protect or heal a patient or the community. Ritual tools and practices—drums, rattles, talismans, and seasonal ceremonies—are often central.

Socially, shamanic authority is usually linked to personal experiences rather than formal institutions. People may be believed to be chosen by spirits, to have endured illness or visions, or to have learned through long apprenticeship. Training is typically informal and conducted within the community rather than in formal schools.

Geographically, shamanic traditions have been documented among Indigenous peoples across Siberia, Central Asia, the Arctic, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Practices and beliefs differ widely, reflecting local cosmology. In many places, shamanism remains a living tradition, while in others it has blended with Christianity or other faiths or inspired modern neo-shamanic movements.