Not Quite Shamans Analysis

Comparing and Contrasting ‘Not Quite Shamans’ and ‘Ghost Riders of Upper Egypt’
Introduction
Societies across the globe have socio-cultural and religious orientations that differ depending on their level of evolution from a simple social setup to more a complex society influenced by information and globalization. When the society evolves from its simple set-up to complex one, beliefs and religious doctrines are subjected to logic; for instance the first society was simple and consisted of gatherers and hunters. The hunting and gathering society was leisurely and consisted of shaman whose work was to influence spiritual forces. Shamans enjoyed a prestigious social status hence they were provided with food. In the Egyptian society, spirits
Comparing the society depicted by Morton Pederesen in the book; “Not Quite Shamans: Spirit Worlds and Political Lives in Northern Mongolia” to the society depicted in the book; “Ghost Rides of Upper Egypt: A Study of Spirit Possession” by Hans A. Winkler raises differences in the habits, customs, beliefs and social institutions. The paper analyzes the two societies and identifies existing differences and similarities.

The Setting of “Not Quite Shamans” The setting of the society is in Northern Mongolia in Shishged Valley, where contemporary leaders due to global market capitalism, liberal democracy struggle to maintain order after re-emergence of new shamanism. Shamans in the Shishged Valley were believed to be authentic; however, they survived the persecution that existed during socialism. As a result, a new generation of shaman-like individuals existed in the valley; they were generally young men who lacked guidance to become authentic shamans. They were called agsans because they were like shamans but not quite shamans (Pederesen
The nation faces internal conflicts and often changes its leadership through elections; it has incompetent leadership unable to marshal unity and exercise control over the people. The failure of Mongolia’s economy after 1990 affected rural based citizens hard. Rural societies enjoyed working in collective farms; the situation changed when capitalistic ideologies reigned. Shamanism without true shamans is state of transition to a virtual ontological state (Pedersen 223). Conflict exists between the former socialist life and the new post socialist life. As a result, there is resurfacing of shamanistic traditions. Suppressions of shamanism by religious groups, persecution by the state did not deter the spread of the occult; instead, the less shamanism is attached to an individual the more it spread covertly. The Sheshged community is responsible for making shamans; the occult is shifting from tradition to