ESSAY: Shamanistic Complex

Please answer all questions. You may write this as one cohesive essay (2-3 pages double spaced), or write a 1-3 paragraph response to each question.

1. Identify and describe the three levels of belief required for effective shamanistic cures known as the “Shamanistic Complex”?

2. Define voodoo death and describe how you think it could be producing an effect? Use evidence to support your claims/theories.

3. What does the story of Quesalid show us about how great shamans are produced?

4. Abreaction is catharsis or the climax of a healing ritual and it is thought to be critical to effectiveness in ritual healing. Fabulation is the “cultural process of controlling something by naming and telling a story about it” (Brown and Closser 2016, 197). What role do abreaction and fabulation play in producing a healing effect? Use examples from Chapter 18 to support your explanation.

5. What can studies of spiritualism, sorcery and magic teach us about human healing?

ANSWER

1. Identify and describe the three levels of belief required for effective shamanistic cures known as the “Shamanistic Complex”?
   The three levels of belief required for effective shamanistic cures touch on the shamans, the audience who are the patients, and the community[1]. For healing to take place, shamans must believe in the effectiveness of the spiritual powers and techniques. In equal measure, the audience should see shamans as genuine healers. Lastly, the community in which shamans operate must see the healing ceremony done by shamans as effective and important.
2.  Define voodoo death and describe how you think it could be producing an effect?
   Voodoo death refers to sudden death that is brought about by strong emotional shock or fear. Voodoo death is also known as psychogenic or psychosomatic death, and its occurrence tends to impact the community in which it occurs. A primary cause of deadly fear is when a sorcerer or a medicine man sentence somebody to death due to some reasons. Fear can have adverse effects on an individual since it can affect the physical condition of an individual. A person in a state of fear cannot eat properly or can fail to eat at all. This affects the normal functioning of their bodies making their bodies to deteriorate which in the long run can lead to death.
3. What does the story of Quesalid show us about how great shamans are produced?
   The story of Quesalid shows us that great shamans are made and not born. Quesalid, though, was unbeliever ended up being a great shaman. Since Quesalid was unbeliever, the second aspect of the shamanistic complex, the belief of the patient, might have played a role in the healing. This, therefore, shows that a great shaman does not necessarily have to possess a lot of power but requires training and practice[2].

What role do abreaction and fabulation play in producing a healing effect? Shamanistic cures depend majorly on three levels[3]. Bel

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[1]  Peter J. Brown and Svea Closser, Understanding and Applying Medical Anthropology (London: Routledge, 2016)

[2]  Peter J. Brown and Svea Closser, Understanding and Applying Medical Anthropology (London: Routledge, 2016)

[3]  Peter J. Brown and Svea Closser, Understanding and Applying Medical Anthropology (London: Routledge, 2016)