Editing Shamanism (section)

== Roles ==
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een shamaan op Zuid-Boeroe bezweert boze geesten de kinderen te verlaten waarbij hij een geldstuk en een sirihnoot offert TMnr 10001031.jpg|thumb|[[Maluku Islands|South Moluccan]] shaman in an [[exorcising|exorcism]] ritual involving children, [[Buru]], Indonesia (1920)]]
[[File:An Itneg shaman renewing an offering to the spirit shield (1922, Philippines).jpg|thumb|A [[Philippine shamans|shaman]] of the [[Itneg people]] in the Philippines renewing an offering to the spirit (''[[anito]]'') of a warrior's shield (''[[kalasag]]'') (1922)<ref>{{cite journal|author=Fay-Cooper Cole & Albert Gale|year=1922|title=The Tinguian; Social, Religious, and Economic life of a Philippine tribe|journal=Field Museum of Natural History: Anthropological Series|volume=14|issue=2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/tinguiansocialre142cole/page/235 235]&ndash;493|url=https://archive.org/details/tinguiansocialre142cole}}</ref>]]
[[File:Khagdaev1.JPG|thumb|[[Buryats|Buryat]] shaman on [[Olkhon Island]], Russia]]
Shamans have been conceptualized as those who are able to gain knowledge and power to heal in the [[Spirit world (Spiritualism)|spiritual world]] or dimension. Most shamans have dreams or [[Vision (spirituality)|visions]] that convey certain messages. Shamans may say that they have or have acquired many [[spirit guides]], who they believe guide and direct them in their travels in the spirit world. These spirit guides are always thought to be present within the shaman, although others are said to encounter them only when the shaman is in a [[trance]]. The spirit guide energizes the shamans, enabling them to enter the spiritual dimension. Shamans say that they heal within the communities and the spiritual dimension by returning lost parts of the human soul from wherever they have gone. Shamans also say that they cleanse excess negative energies, which are said to confuse or pollute the soul. Shamans act as [[Mediation|mediators]] in their cultures.{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|p=45}}{{sfn|Boglár|2001|p=24}} Shamans say that they communicate with the spirits on behalf of the community, including the spirits of the deceased. Shamans believe they can communicate with both living and dead to alleviate unrest, unsettled issues, and to deliver gifts to the spirits.

Shamans perform a variety of functions depending upon their respective cultures;{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|p=25}} healing,<ref name=sem-shamheal>{{cite web |last=Sem |first=Tatyana |url=http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/changing/journey/healing.html |title=Shamanic Healing Rituals |publisher=Russian Museum of Ethnography}}</ref>{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|p=27–28}} leading a [[sacrifice]],{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|pp=28–33}} preserving traditions by storytelling and songs,{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|p=37}} [[fortune-telling]],{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|pp=34–35}} and acting as a [[psychopomp]] ("guide of souls").{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|p=36}} A single shaman may fulfill several of these functions.{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|p=25}}

There are distinct types of shamans who perform more specialized functions. For example, among the [[Nanai people]], a distinct kind of shaman acts as a psychopomp.{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|pp=61–64}} Other specialized shamans may be distinguished according to the type of spirits, or realms of the spirit world, with which the shaman most commonly interacts. These roles vary among the [[Nenets people|Nenets]], [[Enets people|Enets]], and [[Selkup people|Selkup]] shamans.{{sfn|Hoppál|2005|pp=87–95}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/sha/sis/sis05.htm|title=Shamanism in Siberia: Part III. Religion: Chapter IX. Types of Shamans|access-date=6 June 2015}}</ref>

The assistant of an [[Oroqen people|Oroqen]] shaman (called ''jardalanin'', or "second spirit") knows many things about the associated beliefs. He or she accompanies the rituals and interprets the behaviors of the shaman.{{sfn|Noll|Shi|2004|p=10, footnote 10}} Despite these functions, the ''jardalanin'' is not a shaman. For this interpretative assistant, it would be unwelcome to fall into a trance.{{sfn|Noll|Shi|2004|pp=8–9}}