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The Role and Functions of Contemporary Shamans in Southeast Asia

The meaning of the word shaman (of Tungus origin) has become obscured by numerous, increasingly different interpretations. The term has also been applied to practitioners who live outside Siberia, and are actually called by different names in their respective countries: bomoh in Malaysia, ma khi in Thailand, and tany-di in Singapore. Because I did not want to rely on secondary sources, I went to Southeast Asia to find contemporary shamans. Having started my research in 1960 I was able to witness, over a thirty-one year period (during visits lasting from several months to a year), the continuation of shamanic traditions among different groups living in multiethnic and multi-religious societies. What struck me most was the emergence of new shamans in urban centers like Singapore and Bangkok. I found practitioners divining, interpreting dreams, counteracting acts of sorcery, making rain or stopping floods, but most of all healing and counseling on matters of interand intrapersonal relationships as well as career issues and business affairs. These practitioners used a wide range of techniques and paraphernalia. Because I had to establish generally applicable criteria, I decided to call only those practitioners &dquo;shamans&dquo; who: