Glossary entry

Russian term or phrase:

камлание

English translation:

seance (shamanistic sorcery, ecstatic channeling)

Added to glossary by Chris Lovelace
Nov 22, 2009 04:13
14 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Russian term

камлание

Russian to English Social Sciences Anthropology Ethnography
I have provisionally translated this as "trance," but I'm not sure that is the best transaltion. I'd definitley appreciate arguments for or against "trance" as an appropriate gloss.

I'm looking for a good, specific term to translate the idea of a vision ritual in shamanistic activity, as indicated in the following text. That is, "ritual" or "ceremony" is too general, and these terms are already used in the text.

Here's a sample:

Ярким примером сочетания театральных и обрядовых элементов является называемая в пароде «игра баксы» («баксы ойыны»), т. е. камлание шамана. Именно здесь проявляется жреческая черта шамана, способного вступить в контакт с иным миром и знающего способы борьбы с его представителями — мнимыми духами болезни, якобы вселившимися в человека. Его камлание большей частью проводилось в юрте больного и происходило перед публикой. Фактически оно представляло собой «моноспектакль», который состоял из нескольких частей: пролог, призыв духов, борьба с злыми духами и финал.

Proposed translations

1 hr
Selected

ecstatic practice (seance)

As far as I know, there are no specific translation for this term. However, to the best of my knowledge, Eliade does call kamlanie seance or practice and stresses its ecstatic nature.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: ""Seance" really captures the idea of spiritual channeling, yet does not have the negative connotations of "sorcery," which is also a possible gloss. Now, how to translate "сеанс" in this context... Normally, I'd go for "session" or even "meeting." But "seance" in the sense of "spiritual channeling gathering" works."
30 mins

shaman's sorcery

Something went wrong...
6 hrs
+1
8 hrs

"kamlanie"

We don't even try to translate "mate" ("матэ" or "мате") just because it's a culture-specific term. Best transliterate it.

http://books.google.com.by/books?id=gGnJHqxPs-4C&pg=PA48&lpg...
Peer comment(s):

agree Maria Fokin : http://homepage.ntlworld.com/heather.hobden1/shaman.htm
3 hrs
Спасибо, Мария!
Something went wrong...
10 hrs

exorcism performed by shaman

-
Peer comment(s):

neutral Zahar Fialkovsky : Ну, это не всегда изгнание, бывает наоборот -- призыв, общение с духами.
1 hr
Это правда
Something went wrong...
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search