Lux Ferre

Yaqui – Calling themselves Yoeme (“people”), the more widely known term Yaqui derives from “Hiakim,” the Yaqui term for their land, encompassing the southern coastal Mexican region of Sonora and part of

Yanomamo – An Amazonian people whose traditional homeland spans the border of Venezuela and Brazil and who remained so remote that Napoléon Chagnon could claim that in 1990–91 he spent time in

Wounded Healer – Many recorded examples of shamanic initiation involve a debilitating or life-threatening illness, recovery from which is facilitated only by the assistance of spirits who instruct the novice that in

Women – In some cultures, only men can serve as shamans, while in others, shamanism is almost entirely women’s business, and in still others, the role is open to anyone elected by

Witchcraft – Shamans in many cultures are expected to combat users of malevolent magic, witches, or sorcerers—or they may be suspected of being witches or sorcerers themselves. Obeah, for example, is commonly

Winkelman, Michael – Professor in anthropology at Arizona State University, former president of the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness, and founder of the Anthropology of Religion Section of the American Anthropological

Wilby, Emma – Much of the data on early medieval witches is unreliable, extracted under conditions of torture and permeated by witchhunt propaganda discourse—originating not with witches but with “learned” or “elite”

Wicca – A form of Paganism, also known as witchcraft but distinct from the practice of malevolent magic or sorcery. Following its creation as a popularized blend of esotericism with ecstatic practices,

White Shamanism – A term like plastic medicine men that alleges that some or all neo-shamans are frauds. In articles called “The Great Pretenders: Further Reflections on Whiteshamanism” and “Just What’s All

Whitehead, Neil – Professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His research and publications are mostly concerned with Amazonian peoples and the influence of Amerindian cultures on academic and Western