Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale

« Counter-natural » female shamanism? Menstruation, gestation and female shamans among the Shipibo-Conibo of Western Amazonia. Amazonian shamanism is often described as a male social role from which women are ‘naturally’ excluded because of taboos concerning the particularities of their biology, nam...

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Main Author: Anne-Marie Colpron
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Société des américanistes 2006-06-01
Series:Journal de la Société des Américanistes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/jsa/3181
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author Anne-Marie Colpron
author_facet Anne-Marie Colpron
author_sort Anne-Marie Colpron
collection DOAJ
description « Counter-natural » female shamanism? Menstruation, gestation and female shamans among the Shipibo-Conibo of Western Amazonia. Amazonian shamanism is often described as a male social role from which women are ‘naturally’ excluded because of taboos concerning the particularities of their biology, namely menstrual blood and pregnancy. However, we do find evidence of women shamans in certain Amazonian populations, such as the Shipibo-Conibo. These women practice a shamanism that is comparable to that of their male colleagues, sometimes achieving the highest states of power. As well, they exercise their art at marriageable age, thus reconciling the roles of mother and shaman. This article demonstrates, through specific case studies, how these women are not seen to be limited by their biology: much like their male counterparts, they observe taboos which permit them to surpass their bodies and reach shamanic becoming.
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issn 0037-9174
1957-7842
language English
publishDate 2006-06-01
publisher Société des américanistes
record_format Article
series Journal de la Société des Américanistes
spelling doaj-art-3bff54f737e64b1aa854b8092af8f92a2025-02-05T15:54:00ZengSociété des américanistesJournal de la Société des Américanistes0037-91741957-78422006-06-019220323510.4000/jsa.3181Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentaleAnne-Marie Colpron« Counter-natural » female shamanism? Menstruation, gestation and female shamans among the Shipibo-Conibo of Western Amazonia. Amazonian shamanism is often described as a male social role from which women are ‘naturally’ excluded because of taboos concerning the particularities of their biology, namely menstrual blood and pregnancy. However, we do find evidence of women shamans in certain Amazonian populations, such as the Shipibo-Conibo. These women practice a shamanism that is comparable to that of their male colleagues, sometimes achieving the highest states of power. As well, they exercise their art at marriageable age, thus reconciling the roles of mother and shaman. This article demonstrates, through specific case studies, how these women are not seen to be limited by their biology: much like their male counterparts, they observe taboos which permit them to surpass their bodies and reach shamanic becoming.https://journals.openedition.org/jsa/3181shamanismmenstruationcouvadegender issues
spellingShingle Anne-Marie Colpron
Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale
Journal de la Société des Américanistes
shamanism
menstruation
couvade
gender issues
title Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale
title_full Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale
title_fullStr Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale
title_full_unstemmed Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale
title_short Chamanisme féminin « contre nature » ? Menstruation, gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les Shipibo-Conibo de l’Amazonie occidentale
title_sort chamanisme feminin contre nature menstruation gestation et femmes chamanes parmi les shipibo conibo de l amazonie occidentale
topic shamanism
menstruation
couvade
gender issues
url https://journals.openedition.org/jsa/3181
work_keys_str_mv AT annemariecolpron chamanismefeminincontrenaturemenstruationgestationetfemmeschamanesparmilesshipiboconibodelamazonieoccidentale