Nepalese Shaman Oral Texts

This volume is a bilingual collection of shaman oral texts from the Bhuji Valley of Western Nepal, in the original Nepali and with line-by-line English translation. It includes 20,000 lines of material recorded in 1962, 1967, 2000, and 2001. Shaman texts address issues as diverse as abuses of political power, caste relations, and the status of women. Extending beyond therapeutic and linguistic concerns, these texts contribute to a better understanding of social issues in contemporary Himalayan societies. Accompanying the book is a DVD of audio recordings of the shaman oral texts, supplementary texts not included in the published volume, videos of shaman performances, and additional video and photographic documentation of the social context in which these shamans are found.