An anthropological look at Ojibwa medicine men (referred to in the text somewhat inaccurately as "shamans"), and the process they go through to obtain their status in traditional society. The book also contains a detailed summary of Siberian shamanism and compares the two, as well as contrasts shamans with other types of holy men such as yogis and prophets. --- Contents include: Preface --- Chapter 1: Introduction --- Chapter 2: Siberian Shamanism --- Chapter 3: Ojibway Shamanism & Its Historical Background --- Chapter 4: Cosmology --- Chapter 5: Tribal Sanction --- Chapter 6: Ritual Reenactment --- Chapter 7: Trance Experience --- Chapter 8: Stages In The Formation Of The Shaman --- Chapter 9: The Shaman As A Religious Type --- Notes

Getting an indepth anthropological perspective on two different types of shamanism, as well as on how the various types of Ojibwa shamanism (those practiced by the jessakid, wabano, nanandawi, and Mide) worked. (Please note that I use the word "shamanism" only as it's the most convenient way to refer to the subject, and because the book itself utilizes it. Many American Indians object to the term "shaman," as it doesn't accurately describe their spiritual practices.)

The description of the various stages a person typically goes through on the path to becoming a shaman or medicine man, including a sort of ritual illness or death--the descriptions of trance states involving the (imaginary) mutilation and cannibalism of the aspiring medicine man were strange but intriguing. The summaries of the four main types of medicine practitioner among the Ojibwa were helpful as well for my own writing. I had already come to a tentative understanding of these four types through my other readings; it was interesting to see that I wasn't entirely incorrect. (Though some sources are skeptical of the "nanandawi" type.)

This book was obviously written with anthropologists and more advanced readers in mind, hence it uses lots of complex words and terms that it seems to me could have just as easily have been said with...much more common words and terms! Sometimes one rather gets the feeling that the author was trying to sound overly educated and impressive...I know this isn't true, and it's just a higher-level reading book using the jargon of this field of study, but when you have ADD, that kind of thing can be excruciating. O_o --- I also had to slog through a long chapter on Siberian shamanism, in which I haven't the least bit of interest, because the author wished to compare the two types. His writing style is such that this chapter wasn't remarkably boring, however, and it was kind of interesting to see the differences and similarities...though I'm not about to go pick up a book on Siberian shamanism now. --- And lastly, I REALLY take issue with the fact that, on the cover of a book which is clearly about OJIBWA shamanism, there's a picture of...a PAPAGO shaman! Couldn't they find a good picture of an OJIBWA medicine man to put on the cover...??

Start on the next in my pile of books on this subject. ^_^ Grim's book was decent enough, and informative, but not the kind of work that makes one want to go out and find what else this author has written. I rather think this one book of his was more than enough.

More educated on the subject of Ojibwa shamanism, especially in regards to the process of becoming a medicine man/woman; it was a lot more complex than I'd thought.

Is John A. Grim, Associate Professor of Religion at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

It's both a good introduction to the primary types of shamanism among the Ojibwa, as well as a decent intermediate/advanced-level reading book on the subject.

If you're like me, and too many big words make your brain glaze over, it may make for kind of difficult reading. I have nothing against higher-level reading--in fact, I wish there were more of it. But higher level doesn't necessarily mean lots of complex anthropological jargon.

Don't let all the negativity of my comments above mislead you--this really was a good book, just rather dry and difficult to work through. It's good for an "impartial," outsider/anthropological view of things; but I would recommend another work such as Ruth Landes's books for a more intimate outsider's look at the subject, or works by Basil Johnston for an insider's look at Ojibwa belief in general.

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Created Apr 28, 2006 at 9:10am • Submit your own review...