Allies

Shamans have helping spirits, "allies," which they acquire through dreams and visions. They represent members of the nature kingdom that have a special affinity for that specific shaman — an extension of their mind, like a scout or another hand. In northern Greenland, an angakok, or Eskimo shaman, may have as many as fifteen allies. The Peruvian shaman Don Eduardo Calderone says he knows South American shamans who have nearly twice that many. One way of calling on them, Don Eduardo suggests, is to whistle softly, like calling your dog.

Ⓒ The Susan Eleanor Boulet Trust (illustration)
Ⓒ Text copyright James A. Swan