ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.- The Anchorage Museum of History and Art presents The Shamans: Spirit Guides of Siberia, on view through September 18. For millennia, many cultures have considered the bridge between the human and spirit worlds to be the sacred domain of shamans. Through the use of trances and rituals, shamans mediated with spirits to ensure their tribe’s protection and prosperity, to heal the sick and to foretell the future. “The Shamans: Spirit Guides of Siberia” explores the world of the shaman throughout the various regions of Siberia, where the practice has its richest roots. The exhibition draws from The Russian Museum of Ethnography’s collection of art and artifacts from Northern Siberia and the Far East, which includes cultural material, drawings and photographs from more than 20 ethnicities.

In addition to possessing special abilities, shamans employed particular tools and objects to perform their duties. The practices and implements varied, depending on the region. Family shamanism was common in Northeastern Asia, as was the practice of changing gender symbolically by altering dress and mannerisms. Western Siberian shamans were specialized according to their abilities, and those in the Far East particularly focused on the tribe’s hunting, fishing and seasonal rituals. The exhibition presents items such as shamanistic clothing and paraphernalia, which hold unique significance in ritualistic practices; these garments and accessories symbolize the universe and the various spirits that help the shaman communicate with the world of the higher beings.

“The Shamans: Spirit Guides of Siberia” examines Siberian shamanism both ethnographically and visually and allows viewers a rare and engaging glimpse into shamanism’s external manifestations as well as its profound inner meanings. This exhibition was originated by The Russian Museum of Ethnography, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. The exhibition tour is organized by Curatorial Assistance, Pasadena, Calif.