Shamanic Revival Persists in Mongolia

Mongolia has a rich shamanic history.  Under Russian influence throughout the 20th century, shamanism became illegal and was forced underground.  Despite the external pressure to eradicate the practice, shamans continued their craft until Mongolia gained its independence in 1990.  Since then, there has been a revival of shamanic activity throughout the country.  People are finding that these ancient rituals and practices, still intact from the ancestral past, are effective tools for navigating the multidimensional landscape of their contemporary world.  They navigate politics, economic disparity and hardship.  They investigate and uncover forgotten histories, reawakening their ancestral connections.  This allows them to find meaning -- to literally re-member themselves, their people, the spirits of the land.  This speaks to a key component of shamanic practice: the ability to create a world filled with meaning, depth and connection.  This helps to fill gaps that remain in a scattered cultural, spiritual and social arena, one that actively sought the dissolution of shamanism and by extension, a way of life.

For Mongolian anthropologist Manduhai Buyandelger, this was not only a story close to home but a story to tell.  In her account Tragic Spirits, she traces the evolution and implications of this newfound growth and interest in Mongolian shamanism.

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