Question by getajob: Did you know Shamans were typically female and in many cultures, transexuals?
This is from WIKI- RE: Shamanism and transexuality
Gender and sexuality:
While some cultures have had higher numbers of male shamans, others such as native Korean and some African Nguni cultures have had a preference for females. Recent archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known shamans—dating to the Upper Paleolithic era in what is now the Czech Republic—were women.[69]
In some societies, shamans exhibit a two-spirit identity, assuming the dress, attributes, role or function of the opposite sex, gender fluidity and/or same-sex sexual orientation. This practice is common, and found among the Chukchi, Sea Dayak, Patagonians, Araucanians, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Navajo, Pawnee, Lakota, and Ute, as well as many other Native American tribes. Indeed, these two-spirited shamans were so widespread as to suggest a very ancient origin of the practice. See, for example, Joseph Campbell’s map in his The Historical Atlas of World Mythology [Vol I: The Way of the Animal Powers: Part 2: pg 174] Such two-spirit shamans are thought to be especially powerful, and Shamanism so important to ancestral populations that it may have contributed to the maintenance of genes for transgendered individuals in breeding populations over evolutionary time through the mechanism of “kin selection.” [see final chapter of E.O. Wilson’s “Sociobiology: The New Synthesis] They are highly respected and sought out in their tribes, as they will bring high status to their mates.
Duality and bisexuality are also found in the shamans of the Dagara people of Burkina Faso (Africa). References to this can be found in several works of Malidoma Somé, a writer who was born and initiated there.
Like you know….Who the heck are YOU?
Why don’t some of you people who “don’t have Shamans” go to Wiki and update their definition. Otherwise shut up. A “Shaman” is an individual in contact with a spiritual world….you telling me there are not those people in every race geographic location and religion???….Wrong! There are.
Best answer:
Answer by RadGal
Yes, it’s true. A couple books have actually been written on the subject. I have one on my bookshelf that I haven’t gotten to yet.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
how interesting.
thank you.
-peace
Since there is NO SUCH THING AS A NATIVE AMERICAN SHAMAN I would have to dispute the rest of your “story” too….
Shamanism is an ancient Russian belief system, and has NOTHING to do with Native Americans….
Native american don’t have SHEMANS maybe other side of atlantic
no shamans in my nation either. this is not something we have in north america as an indigenous practice and was a term used incorrectly by anthropologists who thought our ways were alike to those of siberia. they aren’t.
My people didn’t / don’t have shamans. Shamanism is an entirely different belied from another ethnic group. The white person writing this doesn’t know what they are talking about. HOWEVER we did / do view homosexuals aa equals cause thats how the creator made them. And a person could / can be a holy person regardless of their sexial orientation…after all who you 2 adults find love with has nothing to do with their spiritual connection.