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SHAMANISM.
Shamans are not only healers; they are said to be able to communicate
with the world beyond. The word "shaman" comes from the Even and Evenk
peoples, and means "he who
knows." [video] During the early days of Communism,
Even and Evenk shamans were persecuted for their beliefs; most were killed. Those few Siberian shamans that remain are revered as spiritual guides and healers.
The shaman's use of drums, metal rattles, and headdress was passed on to
North American Indian cultures from their Siberian predecessors. Shamanism
is prevalent within hunter-gatherer cultures; it is still practiced today in
areas as diverse as the Siberian arctic and the Amazon basin.
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