Shamanism and music combined thousands of years ago. By
observing nature, shamans perceived that the power of sound could be used to
help and heal others. The first drums and musical instruments were put to
shamanic use, as were many of the early singing traditions. According to
folklorist Kira Van Deusen, "In a shaman's world music operates in several
ways. It helps the shaman and other participants in a ceremony to locate and
enter the inner world, opening the inner, spiritual ear and eye. Musical sound
calls helping spirits and transports the shaman on the journey. Both the rhythm
and the timbre of musical sound help heal the patient through the effects of
specific frequencies and musical styles on the human body."
Music is an essential tool in shamanic ritual and healing
work. Music is the carrier of the specific intention or desired outcome of the
ritual. Music is used to contain the energetic or spiritual aspect of the
sacred space, which is defined physically by the assembled people who
participate. Dance and song propel the ritual process forward by providing a
vehicle for self-expression within the sacred space. Together the musicians
create the necessary container that channels the energy generated by the
performance in ways that the shaman can guide toward the ritual's intended
outcome.
Three elements are constantly interacting in communal
healing rites: the shaman who guides the flow and pattern of the ritual, the
musicians who contain the sacred space, and the gathered people who
participate. Interaction between all three elements is necessary to maintain
the energy, flow and intention of the ritual.
Music is also used to crack open the part of the self that
holds emotions in check. For example, in funeral rites among the Dagara people
of West Africa , drumming and singing are used to open
the mourners to grief. Grief is then channeled in such a way that it will
convey the newly deceased soul to the afterlife. Without the help of the
drummers, musicians and singers, the powerful emotional energy cannot be
unleashed. If not channeled properly, grief is useless to the dead and
dangerous to the living. According to Christina Pratt, author of An Encyclopedia of Shamanism, "This
musical container of the ritual space must be maintained continuously. The
musicians do not rest as long as the ritual continues, though the ritual may
last one to four full days."
