Re: The Kolatings

From: Simon Phipp <soltakss_at_pQy2j7tXYuwmEjYCvDfLPqjYDgdU-xAeCrjPUIHKT_fjO5h_e7QCmfNtPNLheeqRCuZ>
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 19:50:19 -0000

Kenrae:
> Woa! I know you're into shamanism, but calm down a little ;-).
> I'd never portray them like that in an animist culture. Even in a
> theist clan where they're more typical. But in this case I think it's
> spot on. As you've said, many people who didn't understand them called
> them mad, which I think it's what usually happens here. But that
> doesn't mean they're mad, only that many see them as such.
> In fact, I think this particular character will develop some affinity
> with them, and will think that many clansmates are the ones who are
> mad, not the shamans.

I may have said this before and this is a bit off topic, but my wife comes from a small village in southern Russia and is ethnically Bashkort, so she is a Eurasian Moslem. However, each local village has a wise woman who can cast charms and put curses on people and a shaman who blesses and heals people as well as putting curses on people. Now, she is very, very reluctant to speak about the wise woman for fear of being cursed by her. She never speaks about the shaman and refuses to answer any questions I have about him, except to say she was blessed by the shaman when she was a child and he "sang and blew over her". I have asked if I can meet the shaman for a blessing when I visit, but my wife point blank refuses.

So, some shamans are not crazy people, they live in villages and perform a service for their people, but the local people are still afraid of them. And these are the nice ones.

See Ya

Simon