Shamanic Roads
Drones, Tones, and Timbres January 9, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.5622/illinois/9780252045455.003.0008
Summary
Shamanic Roads are spiritual pathways rooted in shamanic origins, gift bestowal, and power. This chapter contrasts traditional and contemporary initiation journeys, examining how shamans use song-chants, recitative, drone-partials, and timbral sounds to create place in relation to spirits, nature, and landscape. It explores improvisational creativity in shamanic performances combining timbral sounds with vocalizations, spirit embodiment, mimesis, vibrations, spinning, seeing, and sonic travel. A case study of Altaian shaman Arzhan Közörökov analyzes healing rituals for mental health, infertility, and terminal illness, noting that spirit actors are summoned by vocal, instrumental, and bodily vibrations, and client contributions are necessary for healing.
Study at a glance
| Design | case study |
|---|---|
| Population | Altaian shaman Arzhan Közörökov |
| Key finding | Shamanic healing involves summoning spirit actors through vocal, instrumental, and bodily vibrations, with client contributions essential for creating, opening, or unblocking a client's road. |
Abstract
Chapter 7. Shamanic Roads are spiritual pathways established by shamanic origins, bestowal of the shamanic gift, and power. This chapter compares traditional and contemporary initiation journeys and describes how shamans use song-chants, recitative, drone-partials vocal music and timbral sounds to create place in relation to spirit actors, nature, and landscape. It discusses the improvisational creativity of shamanic performances in combining these timbral sounds with vocalizations, spirit embodiment and mimesis; vibrations, spinning and seeing; and sonic modes of travel. Finally, a case study analyses the healing rituals (mental health, infertility, terminal illness) and reclamations of place of Altaian shaman Arzhan Közörökov when creating, opening, and unblocking a client’s road, noting that spirit actors are summoned and enlivened by vocal, instrumental, and bodily vibrations and that client contributions are necessary for healing.