Traditional Siberian shamanic tales from the largest and most long-standing genre of Shor indigenous folklore.
Traditional Siberian shamanic tales from the largest and most long-standing genre of Shor indigenous folklore.
Indigenous studies, Russia & the former soviet union, Shamanism
The Shor are a small indigenous minority in southern Siberia occupying southern Kemerovo Oblast. Their population numbers under 12,000. The Shor language belongs to the Khakass subgroup of the Uyghur-Oguz group of Turkic languages. Only about 1,000 people speak the native Shor tongue today.
The Shor heroic tales are the largest and most long-standing genre of Shor folklore. They were generally performed at home in the evening or at night. They not only served as a relaxing activity for people, influencing their spiritual peace, but also served a magical role, protecting them from evil spirits. As with the oral traditions of original cultures, these tales exemplify the Shor’s connection to ‘story’ as something tangible, corporeal and animate. This very special manuscript depicts and preserves two of these epics.
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In recent years the world has come to appreciate the wisdom and teachings of ancient cultures, ones that have created local economies that for thousands of years have themselves been renewable resources. The Shor are such a people. Their numbers are declining rapidly, as is their language. This amazing book is a huge step in preserving their knowledge and sharing it with a world that needs it more than ever before. Purchase this book, support these incredible people, and gain remarkable insights about living on this sacred Earth. ~ John Perkins, NY Times bestselling author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Kaichi traditional storytellers were the keepers of tales that traversed vast spiritual, natural, and psychological landscapes. The legends and characters come alive through the teller. The stories in this book represent the living record of ancient people. They carry transformative potential for the modern reader. ~ Llyn Roberts, MA, award winning author of Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness
In another time, storytellers were vital links in our cultural continuity. These wisdom-keepers learned hundreds of tales verbatim to be passed forward. They were the libraries in whom all vital history, medicine lore, survival methods and ethical codes were conserved. Their stories were preserved so accurately that untold generations could rely on them for essential guidance. Every folk tale holds a piece of the larger truth of our humanity. Yet, seduced by the lure of immediate information, we are leaving these stories to wither, untold, into oblivion. Thankfully, the Shor tales beautifully embraced by this volume will remain–safeguarded for a time we may need their wisdom again. ~ Evelyn Rysdyk, Shamanic teacher and author of The Norse Shaman
