| She has no Ph. D. attached to her name and probably never even studied in a school, let alone a medical school. But to many, she's considered a doctor. However, Yer Vang (not to be confused with Yer Vang the lawyer-Ed.) doesn't visit her patients at the hospital or wear a stethoscope, not even a white lab coat. She treats her patients at their homes with the burning of incense and paper money, drums beating in the background, and wearing a black cloth over her face. Vang is a Shaman. Shamanism is a religious ritual practiced by some Native American tribes and Asian cultures, like the Hmong. Hmong people have practiced Shamanism for as long as one can remember. When the Hmong came to the United States, some brought over the practice of Shamanism with them and are still practicing it today. Vang';s destiny as a Shaman began like most Shamans: she was chosen by the spirits. Vang recalled, as a teenager she became very sick. She lost most of her hair and she couldn't feel anything. When it was cold out and people were shivering, she felt nothing. When it was hot out and people were sweating, she felt nothing. Vang turned to every medicine and doctor available but they could not help her. Finally, she turned to Shamanism and the Shaman told her that she was chosen to be a Shaman. As much as Vang didn&'t want to believe it, she couldn&'t ignore the fact that Shamanism cured her of her sickness. Every time Vang began to shift away from being a Shaman, she became sick again. Vang says, "Spirits can make you sick until you realize that the only way out is to become a Shaman." Under a mentor, another Shaman, Vang acquired the techniques and skills of a Shaman. Shamans are considered to be the link between the physical world and the spiritual realm. Through trances and altering their state of consciousness, Shamans are believed to be able to ascend into the heavens or descend into the underworld. Once in these spiritual realms, Shamans can communicate with spirits. Through their communication with the spirits, Shamans can adversely affect the physical world. One of the biggest responsibilities given to Shamans is the ability to heal. Vang says that it is an obligation to use what has been entrusted onto her and help those who seek her help. There are very few Shamans, either male or female; so to be chosen is a great honor. To call on a Shaman, Vang explains that people come to her with incense sticks wrapped in gold and silver paper money. They then ask for her help and bow to her to show respect. Sometimes, Shamans get paid for their work, but Vang says that she doesn';t like taking money for something that is her responsibility. During a ritual, Shamans sit on a bench in front of the family's altar, holding on to bells in both hands and wearing a black cloth over their faces. There are usually people around them beating drums and making sure nobody crosses between the altar and the Shaman. Shamans call on the spirits through chants and go into trances. Sometimes the battles between Shamans and spirits are so violent that the people around have to hold on to the Shaman and make sure that the Shaman comes back to the physical world. Although physically the Shaman may seem to be engaged with the spirit, Vang explains that when she's in a trance she actually sees nothing. It's hard to explain, says Vang, but being in the trance is like traveling on a road you are familiar with. You already know which way leads you to the good road and which leads to the bad road. For example, Vang says if someone is sick and their spirit is gone, once in the trance she can sense where the spirit is and she'l go there to bring the spirit back to the person it belongs to. By bringing the spirit back to the physical body, the healing can begin. There is no scientific proof that Shamanism can heal, but for those who practice Shamanism there is no question that Shamanism can cure or at least give an explanation as to why there are certain problems related to that person. These problems are not only medically related but can also range from finding a missing wallet to predicting the future. Vang has helped many people through Shamanism whether it is curing someone from a fever or helping a couple conceive a child. However, it is hard to judge Shamanism and its claims, especially when one is a part of a culture that practices Shamanism. Perhaps the proof is in the experiences of those who are outside of this culture. After experiencing Shamanism first hand, David Haas, an average Caucasian American male, says that he is a believer in the power of Shamanism. A few years ago, Haas had difficulty with speaking. He says that there was hoarseness in his throat for weeks. Haas went to Western doctors and they told him that it would pass but Haas says his voice became worse and soon worried him. As Director of Bayview Townhouses, Haas was familiar with many Hmong traditions and began looking into Shamanism. Willing to try something new, Haas sought help from a Shaman. Vang came to Haas' office and through an interpreter Haas explained his problem to her. Haas recalled Vang giving him some Hmong medicine to drink and then doing some chants. "Within a day or two, I had my voice back completely." said Haas. He goes on to say that he would recommend a Shaman to anybody, "It's just nice to know that there are other options when it comes to medical solutions." More important then getting his voice back, Haas says that for Vang to perform such a traditional ritual on him, an outsider of the Hmong community, he felt privileged. Haas explained that even if the ritual didn't work, he would still have been honored because Vang was willing to help him out. Haas continues to seek Western medicine and Western doctors, but he says that he would not hesitate to talk to a Shaman again about his medical problems. / Vang agrees with Haas, saying that Shamanism and Western medicine do not have to be mutually exclusive. Sometimes people go to Western doctors and nothing happens, but when they turn to Shamanism they are cured and sometimes it's the other way around, explains Vang. Vang, herself, seeks Western doctors for some of her medical problems as well, but Vang says that she is not going to let go of Shamanism because she along with many others still believe in the power of Shamanism. They have seen the results of Shamanism first hand and know that it works. Vang says that she doesn’t judge any kind of medical practice at all because only the people who participate in it know if it works or not. Shamanism may not be a conventional solution to medical problems and Shamans may not be conventional doctors, but nevertheless many have been helped and that&'s what makes it so important to understand. |
| Shamanism by Ka Bao Lee |
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