A
tambourine is the most significant Shaman's
instrument. Usually it had the oval form and consisted of the wooden rim, covered with a
leather. From the internal part the vertical gripe was placed, by which Shaman held
the tambourine. From the internal part there were also horizontal rods, on which the
various metal pendants were fastened. It was usually for some nations to put the pictures
– the Shaman idea of the world - on the external part of the cover.
All important rituals were certainly spend with the tambourine. It had very many
meanings in the Shaman religion. First of all the tambourine was represented as the
animals for riding – a horse or a deer. It embodied just that animal, which skin was
used for tambourine covering. For the ritual Shaman could travel on the tambourine as on
the horse or the deer to the heavenly world, where the kind spirits lived.
For Shamans travelling to underground or underwater worlds to the evil spirits the
tambourine transformed into the boat, capable to carry Shaman on the underground
river.
If Shaman was compeled to fight with the evil spirits for his traveling, the
tambourine could transform into the impenetrable board or the bow and protected the owner.
Besides, on the Even tambourines there were the special pendants – swords, which
transformed into the terrible arms, if the danger came.
But the most main thing was that the tambourine helped Shaman to become in
trans-condition, to communicate with spirits. Ritual usually began with warming up of the
tambourine on fire – that was the process of the tambourine purifying. Then Shaman began
to knock in the tambourine. This tambourine shocks and Shaman singing called the spirits -
helpers, which, according to ancient believes, were flied and took seats on the tambourine
pendants.
It was considered that Shaman got the tambourine only by spirits own will or by
their agrrement. The spirits themselves showed the tree from which it was necessary to
make the tambourine rim. For example, the Ket Shaman, to find the necessary tree, put on
his eyes a bandage and went to a wood. The tambourine leather was got only from the
specially selected animals, showed to the Shaman by spirits. The ready tambourine Shaman
should show to supreme spirits. For that the special ritual was arranged – “ the
tambourine animation " - and during it Shaman told spirits about the tree, of which
the tambourine was made, and about the animal, whose skin was used, and asked the spirits
sanctions to make ritual by with tambourine.
According to ancient religion, all vital force of Shaman was connected with his
tambourine. Shaman could have some tambourines during his life. Usually no more than 9
ones. When the last tambourine broke, so the life of Shaman came to the end, he
should die. If Shaman died earlier the tambourine was killed by going out the spirits from
it. Usually it was pierced by putting on the acute tree bough near the Shaman grave. |
The internal part of the Even shaman's
tambourine (the beginning of 20 century).
Internal part of Yakut shaman's tambourine (the beginning of 20 century).
The tambourine of Selkup shaman (the
beginning of 20 century).
Selkup shaman shows the internal part of his
tambourine (the beginning of 20 century). |
