| |
|
|
|
Metal that was transformed by goldsmiths
returns to its place of origin. It takes the form of the bird-shaman,
who flies through the middle, upper and lower worlds. He adopts
the posture of the seated shaman who, in his hallucinatory trance,
discovers the secrets of the cosmos and controls the forces
that govern life.
The metal objects return to the earth as gifts to the gods.
Endowed with profound religious significance, they are offered
up in lakes and caves, in order to restore equilibrium in the
world. The metal cycle is thus completed; manipulated by man,
those metals are used by him to manage the universe. |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
The
Basket Man
Shamans adopt different postures during their trances. When seated
with their arms around their knees, they achieve a state of concentration.
Some indigenous groups call this posture the "basket"
position, because of the similarity with the basket shape, and
believe that apprentices keep the secrets of their masters there. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
The
Bird-Shaman in Flight
The shaman reaches a hallucinatory state in which he feels that
he is transformed into a bird and goes on long flights. Some groups
believe he is transformed into a condor, others into a humming
bird, yet others into a heron. The Muisca shaman in Ubaque told
the Spaniards he could fly as far as the city of Santa Marta. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Communicating
with the Spirits
The shaman flies to other dimensions in the cosmos in order to
communicate with the spirits. He consults them about illnesses
and the future, learns songs and dances, and negotiates for fish
and hunting animals with their "owners". This contact
with the gods is his principal source of wisdom and knowledge. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
The
Attire of the Shaman
Shamans wear masks, feathered crowns and objects imbued with powers
and meanings. Their maracas and rattling sticks reproduce the
sounds of animals, and heron feathers purify the body, while the
sticks with figures house the spirits who help in the rituals. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Birds,
the Shaman's Icons
Birds are vitally important symbols for the shaman. For it is
with them that he shares the ability to fly. Like them, he sees
great distances, links the earth with the sky, and takes part
in reproducing nature. His crowns and other feathered ornaments
express this identification. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
The
Shaman's Assistants
Shamans can rely on animal spirits and fantastic beings to assist
them. Powerful birds like the frigate bird and the turkey buzzard
help them fly, voracious fish destroy diseases, and macaws and
parrots carry messages. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
The
Flight of the Shaman
The Offering
|
|
| |
| |
