Shamanic Healing and Ritual Drama: Health and Medicine in Native North American Religious Traditions
Anthropology of Consciousness December 1, 1994 DOI: 10.1525/ac.1994.5.4.24.1
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThis book examines the role of shamanic healing and ritual drama within Native North American religious traditions, exploring how these practices intersect with health and medicine. The author analyzes various indigenous healing ceremonies, their symbolic meanings, and their functions in maintaining community well-being. The work argues that these traditions offer a distinct understanding of health that integrates spiritual, social, and physical dimensions, contrasting with Western biomedical models. By drawing on ethnographic and historical sources, the text provides a comprehensive overview of the diversity and complexity of Native American healing practices, emphasizing their continued relevance and resilience.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The book argues that Native North American shamanic healing and ritual drama represent a distinct, integrated approach to health that combines spiritual, social, and physical dimensions, differing from Western biomedical models. |
Abstract
Shamanic Healing and Ritual Drama: Health and Medicine in Native North American Religious Traditions. Åke Hultkrantz. New York: Crossroad, 1992. 197 pp. $19.95 (cloth).