Shaman
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Shaman is a term used by many to refer to the spiritual leader and healer of a community. However, the term originated from Siberia in Northern Asia and its proper use is constrained to this region.
Shaman is stated to be from the szaman or šamán from the language of the Tungus tribe, who live in western Siberia and Mongolia. The Tungusi language and culture care related to the Saami or Lapp people of Finland whose langauge is part of the Finno-Ugric language group of languages. Although the exact meaning of shaman is not perfectly documented, some possible translations are "he who knows," "lighter than air," and "pathfinder."
The Tungusic word šamán is from Chinese sha men meaning "Buddhist monk," which was then borrowed from the Pali śamana, which was then derived from the Sanskrit śramana meaning "ascetic" and from śramati meaning "he fatigues." The use of "sa-" is from the Tungusic root word which means "to know" and therefore shaman is thought to translate roughly as "he who knows."
The word was introduced through the Russian and German languages before it was adopted into the English language. When used properly, the plural of the word shaman becomes Shamans and the feminine form is Shamanka.
Later, the word shaman was introduced into other cultures through it use by anthropologists and other members of the academic community. It has become a word which is used to substitute for the proper terms that are found for similar roles within a community and therefore has become diluted from its original meaning. Many people use the term to inaccurate reference the spiritual leaders of the Native Peoples of the Americas as so-called shamans when this term really has nothing to do with the practices or cultures of those cultures.
