The shaman occupies a key role as a healer mediating between the world of the living and the world of spirits and is a potent figure in alternative medicine. Shamanism, a richly illustrated guide, looks at both historic and present-day manifestations, from the snowscaps of Siberia to the jungles of the Amazon.The book discusses visions, initiation rites, shamanic chants, shamanism and mental health, the shamanic use of plants, and the political and social background to the shaman’s work. Also covered are the links between the shaman’s sense of unity in nature and the recent growth of ecological consciousness in Western societies.* Includes more than 250 color illustrations that present a unique pictorial record of shamanism in practice and as represented in art and artifacts* Includes a detailed region-by-region survey of shamanism with full-color maps* Explores both spiritual and psychological aspects of the subject, as well as the relevance of shamanism to contemporary Western culture
Shamans, Witches, and Maya Priests: Native Religion and Ritual
in Highland Guatemala, by Krystyna Deuss, is an outstanding contribution to
the field of ethnographic studies in highland Guatemala. Not only is it an
informed and insightful account of her work among the Maya Prayersayers in
the Cuchumatanes region of Guatemala, but it is also a truly great read--an
evocative portrait of Maya traditionalists attempting to maintain the
practice of their ancient faith in the face of remarkably trying
circumstances. Many of the ceremonies she describes have already ceased to
be performed, and others are in imminent danger of disappearing forever.
This book is therefore, in some cases, the last eyewitness account of
traditional rituals that had survived for centuries
-- ALLEN J. CHRISTENSON
Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities, Classics
and Comparative Literature at Brigham Young University
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A comprehensive study of a little-known area of Guatemala, this book is an
invaluable contribution to Maya studies. The author's attention to
ethnographic detail is revealed through the text, diagrams, and the
astonishing photographs, which set a new standard for documentation. At the
same time, the succinct style of writing assures the accessibility of the
book to non-specialists. Highly recommended.
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-- MATTHEW G. LOOPER
Associate Professor of Art History, California State University, Chico
