Three centuries on, a shaman ’s precious rune drum returns home

Instrument confiscated by the Danes is given back to the S ámi people after a lengthy campaignOn 7 December 1691, a precious rune drum, created to help anoaidi, or shaman, to enter a trance and walk among spirits, was confiscated by the authorities. The owner, Anders Poulsson – or Poala-Ánde in the name’s Sámi form – was tried for witchcraft the following year.Poulsson told the court, according to official records, that his mother had taught him how to use the rune drum, because “he wanted to help people in distress, and with his art he wanted to do good, and his mother said that she would teach him such an art”.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Anthropology Archaeology Indigenous peoples Norway Sweden Finland Russia World news Source Type: news