from David Cloutier
Spirit Spirit: Shaman Songs
[Siberian]
Shaman’s Incantation to Exorcise a Demon
Spirit spirit
lord of this place
flame in the center
father of our world
with your eight winds
eight corners of our world
draw near now
help us
spirit spirit
lord of grasses
father of trees
all these your tassels
your feathers
rise up now
help us
Sea Mother
mother of seven
mounds of snow
these seven snow mounds
your seven blankets
come up now
draw near
with your collar
of block foxes
circling around
Incantation to Hide From Demons
If I’m afraid
while sleeping alone
I turn myself into a little stone
I hide in that stone
I rest on the shore
all the winds whirling
around me
all the waves breaking
upon me—
I’m safe
sometimes it’s good
to swallow a little stone
so I can’t be found
among those
on the shore.
Ainawat
(Chuckchee)
Incantation to Heal With the Bear Spirit
If a man is sick
I turn into a bear
the Great Bear of the First Creation
my fur is all white
but no polar bear
I’m the Bear of the First Creation
I lick my paws all over
seize hold of that man
squeeze him tight wherever it hurts him
then I blow all over his body
with my healing breath
the Spirit Breath of the First Creation
(Chuckchee)
Another Incantation To Bring Back the Dead
I turn my little finger
into the dying man
squeeze him tight
inside my palm
if he’s already taken
the path of the dead
I leap ahead barking
chase him home
I turn him into a drifting tree
blow a strong wind
call him ashore
kamo kamo kamo kamo
I draw him with my breath
grab that tree
by the roots
pull him in to shore
Kamenvat
(Chuckchee)
[Inuit]
Song About a
Shaman’s Staff
Look at me
I’ve come far
with this staff this one
I’ve come far
this staff makes you
all rise up
suffering people
now rise up
this staff this one
given me
by the far off master
look at me
this staff I bring
to lift your heads
I wave this staff
your heads lift up
this staff this one
given me
by the outside master
look at me
Tiwlana
Song of a Shaman Sending His Soul
O there
who’s crying
whose child I hear
is crying
oh women
sing for me
my little women
sing for me
I’m going to move
I’m going to dance
it seems my soul
the man inside
oh there
he’s going out
Kakcubak
Song About A Shaman’s Spirit
Spirit
making a passage
for himself
Spirit
making a breath
for himself
out of me
out of me
he sprang from the ground
everyone saw him
he sprang from the earth
everyone saw him
Spirit
making a passage
for himself
Spirit
making a breath
for himself
out of me
out of me
he sprang from the ground
there between the houses
he sprang from the earth
there between the houses
Spirit
making a passage
for himself
Spirit
making a breath
for himself
out of me
out of me
here on the outside
everyone saw him
he looked back at them
everyone saw him
Spirit
making a passage
for himself
Spirit
making a breath
for himself
out of me
out of me
Hiwuna
[
Vision Song
Spirits
I can see
They will come to me
They will come down under a cloud
They will be my masters
I can see
They will walk in Raven town
Saxa
(Tlingit)
Song To Quiet the Ocean
Sea Spirit
Sea Spirit
calm the waves
for me
I’m tired
ye ho lo
calm the sea
for me
Come close
my spirit power
come close
to my canoe
my heart is worn
ye ho lo
turn waves
to milk
for me
Sea Spirit
Sea Spirit
calm the waves
for me
I’m tired
ye ho lo
calm the sea
for me
(Haida)