Portals of Power: Shamanism in South America
The Latin American Anthropology Review March 1, 1994 DOI: 10.1525/jlca.1994.6.1.47.1
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis edited volume examines shamanism across South America, arguing that shamanic practices function as 'portals of power' that mediate social, political, and spiritual realms. The collection presents ethnographic case studies from various indigenous groups, analyzing how shamans negotiate authority, healing, and cosmology. The editors and contributors demonstrate that shamanism is not a static tradition but a dynamic system embedded in historical and cultural contexts, often serving as a site of resistance and adaptation. The book offers a comprehensive overview of regional variations, emphasizing the centrality of altered states of consciousness and ritual performance in shaping indigenous worldviews.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Edited volume Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Indigenous groups in South America |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key finding | Shamanism in South America operates as a dynamic 'portal of power' that integrates social, political, and spiritual dimensions, varying across cultures and historical contexts. |
Abstract
Portals of Power: Shamanism in South America. E. Jean Matteson Langdon and Gerhard Baer, editors. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1992. vii + 350 pp., figures, bibliography, index. $35.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–8263–1345–0.