ABSTRACT
Shamanism is well rooted in Mongolian culture, and despite almost seventy years of Soviet influences and an explicit denigration of religious activities, Mongolian people have reconnected with it with great enthusiasm. From the 1990s, many things had to be rebuilt and reinvented in a growing intellectual and cultural movement, reviving and claiming any aspect of Mongolian identity. Shamanism was part of the claiming as the first national religion, before Buddhism, and shamans blossomed in the country. Men and women became initiated by some old shamans who were still alive and then initiated others. It is impossible today to know exactly how many shamans are in Mongolia, but in almost every village, you will find one. The big market in Ulaan Baatar sells drums and shamanic paraphernalia for apprentices and for tourists from the world who come to see special ceremonies, meet shamans and get initiated into shamanism. Travelling the world or hosting the world in their homes, some shamanesses are internationally recognized, and we will see in this chapter how they made their way as mothers, entrepreneurs, healers, defenders of nature and so on. From cultural revival to international environmental preservation, their power spreads over the world. I will present in this chapter three stories to introduce you to three wonderful women: the traditional shaman, the foreigner apprentice and the modern oracle.
