Published: 14 April, 2009, 12:50
Edited: 14 April, 2009, 12:50
Shamans across Russia have been contacted to take part in an election to choose the country‘s chief medium. So far 188 people have applied for the job. The poll is expected to be held on the internet.
The ballot was announced by the ‘Shamanstvo’ online magazine, which has published a preliminary list of candidates. Shamans willing to take part should send their names and ‘shamanic status’ via e-mail. If it is proved they have supernatural powers, they will be added to the list of candidates, although the organisers haven’t revealed how they are going to verify shamanic power.
In the first round of voting, 12 leaders will be elected; from them the Chief Shaman of Russia will be chosen. The two runners-up will also be named. The campaign is to last six months.
Among the 188 candidates are shamans with all sorts of specialisations, including a professional rag-doll maker whose dolls can host benign spirits, a weather conjurer who is puzzling scientists with her powers, and a spirit rider capable of restoring lost links with ancestors – according to their publicity material.
Commenting on the poll, Boris Falikov, a scholar at the Centre of comparative study of religions at the Russian State Humanitarian University, said he doubted someone with a background in traditional shamanism could be behind the initiative.
“It’s similar to what happened in the United States where Michael Harner, a serious scientist, went from studying shamanism to practising it. In America and Europe this ‘urban shamanism’ is part of the New Age occult movement,” he told Noviye Izvestia newspaper.
He added: “I doubt anything serious would come out of this election. Even if it’s held, many shamans who have no interest in such games won’t accept its result.”
Shamanism is widely practised in several Russian regions, including Buryat, Yakut, and Tyva republics. In the latter it’s accepted as an official religion, on a par with Buddhism. Experts say there are up to 500 active shamans in Russia at the moment.