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Social Science General

The Flying Tiger

Women Shamans and Storytellers of the Amur

by (author) Kira Van Deusen

Publisher
McGill-Queen's University Press
Initial publish date
Jan 2001
Category
General, Folklore & Mythology, Cults, Russia & the Former Soviet Union
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780773521568
    Publish Date
    Jan 2001
    List Price
    $37.95
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780773521551
    Publish Date
    Feb 2001
    List Price
    $125.00

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Description

Outsiders to the culture have long focused on the physical artifacts of shamanism - like the costume and drum - and on ritual healing practices, but far less is known about the images shamans and storytellers use to entertain, heal, and educate. Van Deusen describes the lives of the people of the Amur during a period of dramatic transition, as they attempt to find some way to relate ancient traditions to an uncertain future. She emphasizes the contributions of women - often overlooked in the literature on shamanism - in traditional and contemporary society, and their concerns with ecology and the education of children. Their magnificent embroidery, illustrated by the author's photographs, echoes these women's stories. The Flying Tiger will appeal to anyone interested in shamanism, storytelling and folklore, Russia, indigenous people, women's studies, and spirituality.

About the author

Kira Van Deusen is a storyteller and musician who has done extensive research on the oral traditions of Siberian Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian Inuit. Her previous books include Kiviuq: An Inuit Hero and his Siberian Cousins and The Flying Tiger: Women Shamans and Storytellers of the Amur. She lives in Vancouver, BC.

Kira Van Deusen's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"Van Deusen masterfully weaves a series of stories from her own fieldwork on the folklore of the Russian Far East to emphasize the many ways in which the pathways of other minds and cultures creates, as shamans themselves do, bridges to other worlds. This is a beautifully written and impressive book." Bruce Grant, Department of Anthropology, Swarthmore College

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