Abstract
Globally, throughout human history, selected men and women, broadly known as shamans, fulfill necessary spiritual roles within their societies. They use special gifts, training, or knowledge to interact with the spiritual world for a variety of reasons, largely for healing, divination, and acting as an intermediary between the human and spirit worlds. The majority of shamans use music, both vocal and instrumental, to aid them in the fulfillment of their spiritual duties. Musical instruments are used by shamans in ritualized contexts to help achieve states of ecstasy or trance, to entice spirits, for communication, to create sacred space, and for healing. This paper explores some of the roles musical instruments play in shamanic healing rituals in indigenous societies and explores one paradigm for studying the complex relationships between music, society, and spiritual practice.
Presenters
Cara SchrefflerAssistant Professor, Music, Rocky Mountain College, Montana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—Indigenous Spiritualities in Global Perspective
KEYWORDS
Shamanism, Music, Musical Instruments, Healing Rituals
