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LOCAL Wednesday 13 april 2022

Native Shamans Episode CXLIX- 149

Our goal at Etnia Nativa is to create cultural aware- believes. Given the heterogeneity of
ness, promote education and safeguard our heritage Many “shamanic specialists” ritually ad- language and culture,
by guiding our readers to become the next and new minister substances for beneficial pur- The story goes tells thatn some, sha-
guardians of Aruba. poses, but an equal number of these manic practitioners vision is acquired
individuals are recognized for their po- through dreams, without a formal ap-
In this episode we will raise awareness regarding “Sha- tential to send harm to others. prenticeship, It is generaly accepted
mans” spiritual guides, priest or priestess who uses mag- that all people share a bit of shamanic
ic spels, potions and autoconviction in order to heal the Among our Caquetios ancestors, Sha- powers. Others have formal apprentice-
sick, divine the occult, and control events. Historically, manism was expressed during the Co- ships with masters.
it has been anthropologists who identify these central hoba and Maco ceremonies. Shamans
figures who where atrubuted the title of “Shamans” or organized ceremonies by serving chi- In some cases the aggressor may be the
pajés and not the indigenous people. Shamanism is cha in calabash, corn beer to impor- same person who heals. Among the Ar-
not associated with any particular religion nor is it itself tant men of the community who lateron awakans of the Rio Negro and Guyana
a religion. Instead, shamans across the world belong to will inhaled a preparation consisting of a regions, there are a plurality of special-
different organized spiritual view shamanism is consid- psychoactive powders or tasted poison- ists who are classified by intention and
ered related to animistic spiritual practice. ous back of a cane toads. Sitting on a by techniques. The potison owners can
rock or a wooden stool, they would first cause harm or healing by appliyeng
Shamans act as mediators claiming to communicate stick a kind of spatula down their throat, their plant knowledge. Anyone who
with the spirits on behalf of the community, including purging their stomach and purifying the knows the right chants can cause harm.
the spirits of the deceased and those of the under- soul to receive the sacred message and There are a variety of healers, who are
world. Shamans believe they can communicate with power to enter the speritual world. The distinguished by their secret knowledge
both living and dead to alleviate unrest, unsettled is- cohoba ritual was intended to help its and the substances and therapeutic
sues, and to deliver gifts to the spirits, etc. practitioners to contact deities or spir- techniques.
its. And for the Shaman to diagnose ill-
It is impossible to characterize “shamanism” or “sha- nesses and predict the future. On the Aboriginal tribes of the Caribbean, Cen-
manic teaching practices” belonging to a single in- other hand, it has been interpreted to tral and South America, including the
digenous group of lowland South American and Ca- empower the practitioner to transmit Caquetioan groups of our islands, used
ribbean. Their knowledge and practices vary consider- and as a propitiatory to the ceramic to ground the seeds of the plant *Ana
ably between groups due to defferent regios and the effigies and diaties that were buried in denantera preregrina together with
natural resoursec aviable. Cunucos, which in turn transmit powers other herbs and grinded snails or shells,
of fertility to the agricultural purposes, to which they burn and then add the mix-
supply abundant yucca, maize, beans, ture into a container for its elaboration.
peanuts, tabaco and pumpkins. This they obtain through the sacred fire
ritual. In this way they obtained a fine
The practice of using Yopo or cane powder, essentially hallucinogenic, that
toad excretion was always dangerous was inhaled or blown in the nose of the
for those experimenting whit it, and did companion either as a remedy or for
not always help the participant achieve spiritual trance, known as hecura to the
any vision. Still, it was a very important Yanomamis of the Amazon region. A
religious practice which has its roots in trance that facilitates the interpretation
Caquetian spiritualism. It is believed that of messages, trowing effective spells
the cult dedicated to nature spirits was and the offering of blessings through
practiced along with their mythological open portals of eathly power.q