Shamanism in Siberia: Sound and Turbulence in Cursing Practices in Tuva

The focus of this book is on the phenomenon of cursing in shamanic practice and
everyday life in Tuva, a former Soviet republic in Siberia. Based on extensive
anthropological fieldwork where the author interacted with a wide range of people
involved in cursing practices, the book examines Tuvans’ lived experience of
cursing and shamanism, thereby providing deep insights into Tuvans’ intimate
and social worlds. It highlights especially the centrality of sound: how interactions
between humans and non-humans are brought about through an array of sonic
phenomena, such as musical sounds, sounds within words and non-linguistic
vocalisations, and how such sonic phenomena are a key part of dramatic cursing
events and wider shamanic performance and ritual, involving humans and spirits
alike. Overall, the book reveals a great deal about occult practices and about social
change in post-Soviet Tuva.