The answers to the following questions are a collection of different voices of the shamans working in Adyg Eeren. This may seem sometimes less systematized but reflects the variety of notions and our openess to a plurality of visions:

What is shamanism? Our vision of shamanism

·        Gennadi: the oldest religion of the Tyvan people. From the very beginning the Tyvans prayed to Hairakan, which is the Spirit of the Bear.

·        Larisa: Shamans help people by transferring energy to them that would otherwise fall back to the shaman and hurt him.

Who is the shaman?

·        Gennadi: In former times there existed strong shamans. When they were thrown into the fire they did not die. Shamans call the spirits of the earth and of the death. They help ill people and they drive out bad tongues and spirits

·        Larisa: The shaman must not betray anybody and not think of money. He shall help human beings, although he can’t help himself sometimes. I by myselg I am poor but I can’t accept too much from the people. Sometimes I feel like throwing away my drum and quitting all my work as shaman, but it is my gift and then I am attracted again by it.

What is the importance of the shamanic drum (russian buben; tyvinian dungur)?

·        Gennadi: The sound of the drum helps to calm and appease as well as people as spirits. It is a horror for all bad spirits, they fear it as well as e.g. the red whip (russian: knut; tyvinian: kymchy), red ritual knives (russian: nozh ; tyvinian gestik). The drum stick (tyvinian orba) is decorated with different drawings of helping spirits and has to be made of special types of leather, so that the sound of the drum will be correct.

·        Larisa: the drum is a helper, in order to drive out bad spirits and to attract good ones. Sometimes a bad drum is not working correctly and it may be necessary to support the function of the drum by a shamanic hymn (tyvinian: algysh). The drum can be compared to a horse on which the shaman is carrying out his shamanic journey

·        Orlanma: The drum has a big power. In former times I didn’t know it but know the drum is for me like a gate to heaven. As soon as I start to shamanize it opens and heaven and its inhabitants get visible to me. It is like a feeling of coming home for me. The circle of the drum is a very powerful symbol like the sun.

What is a Eeren? (a helping spirit)

·        Gennadi: A Eeren is a spirit that protects and defends the shaman. This can be e.g the spirit of a wolf, a bear, a snake, a fish, the spirit of a river or as well a spirit of a human being

·        Larisa: The Eeren helps and protects. It is a powerfull helper with a secret energy. About the relation between the shaman and his eeren it is not allowed to talk about

·        Orlanma: For me the Eeren is like a weapon or a special instrument. It protects, helps to heal and can drive away bad spirits

The relationship of Shamans to other religions

Regardless to the individual religion of a human being the shaman can help him independently.

 

What is the relationship between shamans and alcohol?

·        Gennadi: In former times it was forbidden for Tyvinias to drink alcohol up to the age of 33. The shaman must not drink to much, as he will lose his power and will not be able to perform and finish his ritual. If e.g. in special meetings or funerals people use to drink a lot, the shaman shall only drink a drop as a symbol of participation.

·        Larisa: After difficult rituals like the funeral ritual of 7 or 49 days, in which a share all the deep emotions with the relatives, drinking some alcohol sometimes helps me to relax.

·        A shaman who drinks too much might turn a evil shaman. Anyway he will lose his energy and thus shamans are not supposed to drink.

Taboos – what the shaman is not supposed to speak about

·        There exist shamanic secrets which cannot be understood by normal human beings

·        In general Tyvan shamans avoid to speak about bad things

·        Spirits give orders not to speak about the other world

·        Concerning his visions the shaman shouldn’t talk too much about them either

·        Conversations of the shaman with his Eeren are secret as well. The shaman may share them with his closest relatives but has to take care that the Eeren doesn’t lose its power.

How does the Tyvan Shamanism contribute to the preservation of nature?

A big wish of the shamans of Adyg Eeren is that all shamans unite and perform together a huge shamanic ritual (russian: kamlanie). This can help that all people find again their love to nature. An adequate tiem for this would be in spring. There exist several holy places in Tyva which could serve as the right place for this. Healing springs could be the place for the ritual of the yellow leaves in may and as well with a big fire in winter. There exist an large amount of power places buth these days shamans find too little possibilities to attend them.