In Pursuit of the Siberian Shaman

Long suppressed by missionaries and then by Soviet antireligious campaigns Siberian shamanism has experienced an unprecedented revival following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the number of shamans continues to rise But who are these new shamans Are they tricksters magicians businessmen or cultural activists This film takes a behindthescenes look at a Buryat shaman living on an island in the Lake Baikal as he moves between intimate shamanic rituals performed for local clientele and shows performed at various resorts for Western tourists in search of primitive cultures