The Linden-Museum Stuttgart is presenting in cooperation with the Russian Museum of Ethnography (Saint Petersburg) the exhibition Shamans of Siberia. This exhibition highlights the ancient belief systems of Siberian peoples to deal with the world beyond.

Shaman Feder Poligus and his helper spirits. Evenks. Yenisei Province. 1907/1908.

(Copyright: The Russian Museum of Ethnography St. Petersburg
Photo: I. Sacharov / A. Dreyer)

Siberia is known as a land of diverse climates and extraordinary landscapes. Its widely unknown wilderness and the fascinating cultures of its indigenous peoples have always attracted researchers and visitors to learn more about that part of the world. This exhibition highlights the ancient belief systems of Siberian peoples to deal with the world beyond.In their view, spirits choose humans to become shamans to act in altered states of mind as intermediaries between the spirit realm and the human world in times of anxiety and crisis.

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Yakutsk State University / North-Eastern Federal University

Summer School: 9.08.10.-28.08.2010

 (for German Students)

Spiritual legacy of the Northern peoples has attracted anthropologists from all over the world including researchers from Germany. Their exploration of the Arctic region made a major contribution to development of the science in Yakutia, particularly in the Humanities. History of the peoples inhabiting the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), their culture, traditions and customs can be of great value for students as well as for young scientists from Germany.

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The “AskYakutia Team” is en route to Oymyakon: The coldest place on earth.  The Pole of Cold.

We eagerly await more news and a lot of photos !

Read more: AskYakutia.com

Google map: Oymyakon

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Oymyakon (Russian: Оймякон, Sakha: Өймөкөөн, Öymököön) is a village  in Oymyakonsky Ulus of the Sakha Republic, Russia, located along the Indigirka River, 30 kilometers (20 mi) northwest of Tomtor on the Kolyma Highway. The population is 521.

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Shaman music of Siberia meets Western Club Music

No.3 at World Music Charts Europe 2001
Nominated “Best of WMCE 2001″

Intensive interpretation of shamanistic singing from Sakha (Siberia), combined with todays western club-culture | from tradtional and mystic essays, ritualistic ceremonies to modern urban forms .. with shamanistic singer Stepanida Borisova from Siberia.

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“It’s mystical, it’s modern, it’s low beat danceable, it sounds sacred and at the same time sounds urban…. it’s great!!!” (DJ Tonyy Sao Paulo).

“The music of Sakha (Yakutia) originates 3000 Years before Christ. It has relations with Sankrit music from India , which is thought of as one of the earliest musics of this earth.” (P. Amrod/N.Y.C.)

“THROAT SONGS OF THE SIBERIAN SHAMAN – This is a unique opportunity to gain some insight into this ancient and powerful means of vocal expression and to receive training from a performer of renown in both the folk and theatre worlds.” THROA

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Stepanida Borisova, shamanistic singer from Siberia

Shamanistic singer Stepanida Borissova was born in 1950 in the District of Megino-Khangalaas in the Siberian Republic of Yakutia. After her studies at the famous Shepjin School of Acting, she started in 1974 an acting carrier at the Ojunski-Sakha-Theatre.

She received, as well, the Ojunsky prize from the USSR and is a celebrated actress since this time. As a singer and performer Stepanida mastered many different styles of the traditional Sakha singing.

In the entire Russian Federation and abroad, Stepanida Borissova won her special place in the world of music mainly as a singer of “tojuks” (improvised, epic songs). Stepanida sings “ugadan kurduk” as a shaman. In Kamlania female shamans are considered more powerful than male shamans. Though it is difficult to prove, it is said that her voice has healed people

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