The Flying Tiger: Women Shamans and Storytellers of the Amur (Volume 26) (McGill-Queen's Indigenous and Northern Studies)

About this book

Outsiders to the culture have long focused on the physical artifacts of shamanism - like the costume and drum - and on ritual healing practices but far less is known about the images shamans and storytellers use to entertain heal and educate. Van Deusen describes the lives of the people of the Amur during a period of dramatic transition as they attempt to find some way to relate ancient traditions to an uncertain future. She emphasizes the contributions of women - often overlooked in the literature on shamanism - in traditional and contemporary society and their concerns with ecology and the education of children. Their magnificent embroidery illustrated by the authors photographs echoes these womens stories. The Flying Tiger will appeal to anyone interested in shamanism storytelling and folklore Russia indigenous people womens studies and spirituality.