Analysis of the link between shamanism and ethnic identity derives from historical research and frequent field trips from 1986 1995. The phenomenon studied in this paper ritual possession among Ladakhis and among Tibetans in Nepal may originally have little to do with Buddhism. Now, however, it is more or less an integrated part of Buddhist practice and the activities of the spirit-medium are placed in a Buddhist scale of virtues. Thus, there is an interaction between shamanism, Buddhism and folk culture. Shamans have two forms of election, passive and active.
Passive elections reveals itself in the form of disturbances caused by a paq .
Active election is accomplished by means of the soul of a dead child. It is understood that this paq is the soul of a dead child dwelling in the Flower-Garden. The Flying Tiger. Aboriginal Women Shamans, Storytellers and Embroidery Artists in the Russian Far East Women s storytelling, shamanic, and artistic traditions in the Amur River region are better preserved than men s. Today most Amur shamans are elderly women, who survived war and repression.