4 June 2018
shaman
[shah-muh n, shey-, sham-uh n]
noun
1. (especially among certain tribal peoples) a person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces, etc.
Origin of shaman
German Evenki
1690-1700; < German Schamane < Russian shamán, probably < Evenki šamān, samān
Related forms
shamanic [shuh-man-ik], adjective
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for shaman
Contemporary Examples
To hear 26-year-old Jillian Banks talk about her music is like listening to a shaman explain the mechanics of a complex spell.
The Mesmerizing Mystique of BANKS
Melissa Leon
October 8, 2014
As the Cofán shaman blew strongly over the cup, I took those few seconds to contemplate how I had managed to find myself here.
Spirit Tripping With Colombian Shamans
Chris Allbritton
August 24, 2014
Let a shaman wave vine leaves over her and enforce a little semi-public shaming.
Spirit Tripping With Colombian Shamans
Chris Allbritton
August 24, 2014
Don’t listen to urban people scared of their own shadow, it will be fantastic, and with a Taita [ shaman ].
Spirit Tripping With Colombian Shamans
Chris Allbritton
August 24, 2014
Historical Examples
He had never forgiven the shaman, you see, for that old story about the Corn Maiden.
The Trail Book
Mary Austin
She put on her shaman ‘s dress and about the middle of the day the Cacique of the Sun sent for them.
The Trail Book
Mary Austin
He was older than I, but he was also fat, and for all his shaman ‘s dress I was not frightened.
The Trail Book
Mary Austin
I had the power of a shaman, though the Holder of the Heavens had not yet spoken to me.
The Trail Book
Mary Austin
All this, and a great deal more, passed through the mind of the shaman.
The Trail of a Sourdough
May Kellogg Sullivan
Thus the shaman planned before the start was made for Midas.
The Trail of a Sourdough
May Kellogg Sullivan
Anagram
ash man
an mash
Today’s quote
Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.
– C.S. Lewis
On this day
4 June 1988 – death of Sir Douglas Nichols KCVO, OBE. Aboriginal activist, raising awareness of aboriginal issues, including treating aborigines with dignity and as people. He played for Carlton football club in the A-grade Victorian Football League (VFL), leaving after racist treatment and joining the Northcote football club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA). Nicholls became a minister and social worker. In 1957, he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1972 he was the first aborigine to be knighted. In 1976, he became the 28th governor of South Australia, the first aborigine to be appointed to a vice-regal position. He was born on 9 December 1906.
4 June 1989 – Tiananmen Square massacre, Beijing, China. Around a million people had flooded into Tiananmen Square over the past few days, protesting for democracy. On 4 June, the Chinese Army stormed the Square with tanks and armoured cars, killing hundreds of protestors, while arresting thousands of others.