In a mysterious and sometimes difficult to understand way, shamans are able to travel in spirit, see themselves simultaneously in two spaces, one visible the other virtual, and can connect the two. These cosmic journeys bring to mind those of such ancient mythical heroes as Orpheus descending to Hades in search of Eurydice. This kind of mental journey is a key role in establishing connections with the non-humans who inhabit the environment.
In this book the author recounts his research in the field in regions where some shamanic practices partially resurfaced after the fall of the Soviet regime. He also discusses the large body of ethnographic literature describing the traditions of the indigenous peoples in the northern regions of Eurasia and America. His aim is to allow us to understand the wealth of these traditions, through stories which bring them to life.
A graduate of the École normal supérieure (Ulm), Charles Stépanoff is an ethnologist and associate professor in the North Asia and Arctic religions department at the École critique des hautes études. He is a research director and member of the Laboratories anthropologie social du Collège de France (Social anthropology laboratories).