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Shamanism and the Jaguar |
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An interesting
feature of certain kinds of Latin American shamanism (today this is
most distinctive of Amazonian shamanism) is a close link between the
jaguar and the shaman. Shamans are said to turn into jaguars by donning
the power symbols of the jaguar (such as tooth or claw), by fasting and
sleep deprivation, by rattling and drumming, by spell singing, and
sometimes even through the use of hallucinogenic drugs. It is
said that some shamans transform into jaguars for good after they
die. The jaguar is a creature who moves on land, above ground in the
trees, as well as in water- a creature of the heights and the depths,
just like the shaman. A jaguar's spotted pelt is said to mirror
(in reverse) the pattern of the Milky Way. Shamans, while asleep
in their hammocks, ride the Dark Rift of the Milky Way with their
Jaguar totem.
Mayan
culture Page 1 |