The Shaman's Tent of the Evenks and the Origin of the Shamanistic Rite

Comments on David G. Anderson: Dwellings, Storage and Summer Site Structure among Siberian Orochen Evenkis: Hunter‐Gatherer Vernacular Architecture under Post‐Socialist Conditions.Norwegian Archaeological Review 39, 1–26

“…In the case of the traditional house of Evenki, they -like many other people of Siberia and northern Scandinavia (Anisimov 1963a, Tugolukov 1978) -saw the hearth as a symbol of the middle world, the world of the living, and an opening to other worlds (Odgaard 2001(Odgaard , 2003(Odgaard , 2006. Through this opening, offerings could be given to the dead in the lower world and to the gods in the upper world.…”

“…In the other direction, reincarnating souls were delivered through the hearth and into a woman's womb to be born again (Anisimov 1963b). The 'corridor' from the door, via the hearth, and to the back of the tent, symbolised the cosmology of the Evenks -the three worlds of (1) the gods and reincarnating souls (at the entrance); (2) the middle world of the living (the hearth); and (3) the lower world of the dead souls (behind the hearth, at the back of the dwelling) (Anisimov 1963a).…”

Disparate Ontologies?

“…For example, in discussing the 'Tungus ' Descola (2013, 20) cites Perrin (1995) specifically in reference to the origin of the term 'shaman' in the Tungusic languages which Perrin certainly covers, although his primary focus is on the shamanic traditions of South America (reasonably, given this is his regional expertise, and one in which Descola is also exceptionally well-situated to inform upon). Then much later Descola (2013,368) refers to the 'Tunkusi' along with other tundra reindeer-herding peoples in a broader discussion of animal-master spirits in his discussion on the dynamics of human-animal relations, citing Anisimov's (1963a) treatment of shamanic ritual among the Evenks (which we should note draws its discussion specifically from studies among the Evenks of the Lower Tunguska River [a tributary of the Yenisey River] and its tributaries and the Evenks of the Podkamennaya [Middle] Tunguska, respectively). While we may understand and pardon such generalizations for the purpose of parsimony, they are also quite important to acknowledge and think critically with when doing ethnology.…”

“…Animism (yes): Vasilevich and Smolyak write that "Among the most ancient ideas are spiritualization of all natural phenomena, personification of them, belief in an upper and lower world, belief in the soul (omi) and certain totemistic concepts" (Vasilevich & Smolyak 1964, 647f). See also Anisimov's (1963a) description of Evenk animistic beliefs in relation to totemic and shamanic rites (given below).…”

The Heart of Hearths: Some Reflections on the Significance of Hearths in Nature, Culture and in Human Memory

“…7. Anisimov s sketch ofthe tent ofthe Evenk shaman and i ts i mmediate environment furnished tvi th symbols ofauxiliary and guardi an spi rits and the linear structure ofthe Clan River (Anisimov 1968a).…”