Tangible visions
Northwest Coast Indian shamanism and its art
Allen Wardwell
336 pages | ~9 hrs
Tangible visions
Northwest Coast Indian shamanism and its art
By Allen Wardwell
Allen Wardwell opens a window into the profound spiritual world of Northwest Coast shamans through their sacred artistic creations. This comprehensive exploration reveals how Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida spiritual practitioners transformed their mystical experiences into tangible objects of power and beauty.
The book illuminates the rigorous spiritual practices these shamans undertook to forge connections with animal spirits. Through intense wilderness vigils involving fasting and sleep deprivation, they received visions and dreams that became the foundation for their healing and divinatory work. The ceremonial objects they created served as physical manifestations of these spiritual encounters, allowing shamans to summon their helping spirits during sacred ceremonies.
Wardwell presents over five hundred photographs showcasing masks, amulets, rattles, soul catchers, and other ritual implements that embody the shamans' spiritual alliances. Many of these images appear in print for the first time, offering readers unprecedented access to these sacred artifacts housed in museums and private collections worldwide.
The study decodes the complex iconography featuring land otters, mountain goats, and other spiritual beings, revealing how shamanic art captures the essence of trance experiences and otherworldly encounters. Historical photographs of shamans and their grave houses provide intimate glimpses into these spiritual practitioners' lives and performances.
By placing Northwest Coast shamanism within a global context, this work demonstrates universal patterns in humanity's quest for spiritual connection and healing power.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religion
- ✓ Explore Indian art, north america
- ✓ Explore shamanic practices
- ✓ Explore Northwest coast of north america
- ✓ Explore Indians of north america, northwest, pacific
- ✓ Explore Antiquities
- ✓ Explore Indian art
- ✓ Explore Material culture
Topics
Details
- Published
- 1996
- Publisher
- Monacelli Press with the Corvus Press
- ISBN-10
- 1885254164
- Pages
- 336
- Language
- EN
- LC Classification
- E78.N78 W283 1996
