Noaidi

Shaman

A noaidi (Northern Sami: noaidi, Lule Sami: noajdde, Southern Sami: nåejttie, Skolt Sami: nōjjd, Ter Sami: niojte, Template:Lang-sjd) is a shaman of the Sami people in the Nordic countries representing an indigenous nature religion. Most noaidi practices died out during the 17th century, most likely because they resisted the crown; their actions were referred to in courts as "magic" or "sorcery" (cf. witchcraft). Several Sámi shamanistic beliefs and practices were similar to those of some Siberian cultures.

Description and history

Noaidis, Sámi shaman, were traditionally the healers and protectors. Noaidis are said to have the role of mediator between humans and the spirits. To undertake this mediation, the noaidi communicated with the spirit world, asking what sacrifice needed to be made by a person so that they might return to good health, be successful in their hunt for food, and even for good weather. Sacrifices were designed by the noaidi to reestablish the balance between the mortal and immortal worlds. Using a traditional drum, which is the most important symbol and tool of the Sámi shaman, the noaide invoked assistance from benevolent spirits and conducted out-of-body travel via the “free soul” with the help of other siida members. The Sámi distinguish between the “free soul” versus the more mundane “body soul”; the “body soul” is unable to traverse the divide separating the spiritual netherworld from the more mundane, corporeal, real world.

A noaidi could engage in any kind of affair that demanded wisdom; it is said they took payments for their services. The activities included healing people, helping children, making decisions and protecting reindeer, which represented the most important source of food and were also used as tribute payment.

The sources from which we learn about noaidi are court protocols, tales, excavated tools (such as belts), and missionary reports. That noaidis were punished and in some cases sentenced to death for their "sorcery" should perhaps rather be interpreted as an attempt to obliterate opposition to the crown.

Remnants in music tradition

In the Sami shamanistic form of worship drumming and traditional chanting (joiking) were of singular importance. Some of joiks were sung on shamanistic rites; this memory is conserved also in a folklore text (a shaman story).

Recently, joiks have been sung in two different styles, one of which is sung only by young people. The other joik may be identified with the “mumbling” joik, resembling chants or magic spells.

Several surprising characteristics of joiks can be explained by comparing the music ideals, as observed in joiks and contrasted to music ideals of other cultures. In some instances, joiks mimic natural sounds. This can be contrasted to other goals, namely overtone singing and bel canto, both of which exploit human speech organs to achieve “superhuman” sounds. Overtone singing and the imitation of sounds in shamanism are present in many other cultures as well. Sound imitation may serve other purposes such as games and other entertainment as well as important practical purposes such as luring animals during hunts.

See also

• Sami shamanism
• Seiðr
• Gonagas

References

• The book has been translated to English:
• The title means “Shamans in Eurasia”, the book is published also in German, Estonian and Finnish. Site of publisher with short description on the book (in Hungarian).
• . The songs are online available from the ethnopoetics website curated by Jerome Rothenberg.
• The title means: “The magic drum and the clairvoyant women. Sami folktales”, the series means: “Tales of folks”.