Lost Visions, Forgotten Dreams

In order to help their community, the shamans of Arctic cultures ventured on journeys into the world of the spirits. With lengthy training, and using the beat of the drum as a means of entering a trance, the shaman's spirit left the earthly body and encountered the spirits that could lead hunters to animals, cure illness or bring an end to periods of stormy weather. In this dangerous plane of existence, animals could transform into humans, and the carved representations of helping spirits could become real. The simulation presented in this exhibit hints at the experiences of Dorset shamans.