The Living Ancestors : Shamanism, Cosmos and Cultural Change among the Yanomami of the Upper Orinoco

"This phenomenologically oriented ethnography focuses on experiential aspects of Yanomami shamanism, including shamanistic activities in the context of cultural change. The author interweaves ethnographic material with theoretical components of a holographic principle, or the idea that the 'part is equal to the whole, ' which is embedded in the nature of the Yanomami macrocosm, human dwelling, multiple-soul components, and shamans' relationships with embodied spirit-helpers. This book fills an important gap in the regional study of Yanomami people, and, on a broader scale, enriches understanding of this ancient phenomenon by focusing on the consciousness involved in shamanism through firsthand experiential involvement"--Publisher's website Life On Top Of The Old Sky : Yanomami Habitat, Ethnographic Setting And Local Histories -- Inside The Boa's Abdomen : The Yanomami Cosmos -- Hekura, The Body And Illness -- Hekuraprai : Corporeal Cosmogenesis -- Oneiric Encounters -- Shamanic Battlefield : The Pendulum Of Life And Death -- Two Pathways To Finding A Cure : Biomedical And Shamanic Treatment In The Life Of Yanomami -- Return Of The Ancestors : The All-pervading Shawara, The End Of The World And The Beginning Of A New Epoch. Zeljko Jokic. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 265-276) And Index. This ethnography focuses on Yanomami shamanism, especially in the context of cultural change. The author interweaves ethnographic material with theoretical components of a holographic principle, or the "part is equal to the whole." This book fills a gap in the study of Yanomami people and enriches understanding of this ancient phenomenon.