ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 focuses on a dramatic story of a death curse and continues the discussion of sound and its significance in shamanic rituals. Exploring the importance of the shaman’s voice, it contrasts the unsettling function of musical sounds with the transformative power of sounds produced in the utterance of speech. Stressing the potency of sound rather than words, the chapter explores how through modulating their voices, shamans facilitate momentary encounters between spirits and humans. These experiences not only attest to the efficacy of the ritual but also confirm the authenticity of the shaman’s skills. The chapter concludes by exploring how sounds thus remain key factors in defining, experiencing and validating diverse relationships.
