Lamas, Shamans and Ancestors

Anna Balikci, Ph.D. (2002) in Social Anthropology, SOAS, University of London, is Research Coordinator at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim. She is the editor of the Bulletin of Tibetology and author of a number of articles and films on Sikkim.

• PREFACEA NOTE ON THE TEXTLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONSPART I: THE SETTINGCHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTIONCHAPTER TWO: PERSPECTIVES ON THE PASTCHAPTER THREE: THE HIDDEN LAND AND ITS SUPERNATURAL POPULATIONCHAPTER FOUR: VILLAGE RELIGION: RITUAL OF ILLNESSCHAPTER FIVE: THE SHAMANSPART II: THE LANDCHAPTER SIX: THE LAND, ITS WORKERS, HARVESTS AND RITUALSCHAPTER SEVEN: THE LAND, ITS PROBLEMS AND RITUAL SOLUTIONSPART III: THE HOUSEHOLDCHAPTER EIGHT: LIFE AND RITUAL CYCLES OF HOUSEHOLD MEMBERSCHAPTER NINE: CURING AND PROTECTIVE RITUALS OF THE HOUSEHOLDPART IV: THE VILLAGE AND THE STATECHAPTER TEN: RITUAL, THE VILLAGE AND THE STATECHAPTER ELEVEN: CONVENTIONAL BUDDHISM AND VILLAGE RELIGIONCHAPTER TWELVE: CONCLUSION: THE APPARENT DICHOTOMY BETWEEN BON AND BUDDHISMGLOSSARY............................................................................................BIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX

"The particular value of this work lies in its presentation of an unusually well-documented case study concerned with the social and religious transformation of a Sikkimese village in the twentieth century, (...). The plan chosen to expose this complex reality leads to a few repetitions, but the ethnographic material is exceptionally rich, varied and well described. It also opens many avenues for comparison with other Himalayan communities. Anna Balikci’s book is essential reading for anyone interested in this region." – ANNE DE SALES, in: Bulletin of Tibetology 85"This book will be of great value not only for those interested in Himalayan syncretism, bön, or shamanism in general, but also for anyone with an interest in Sikkim or a detailed ethnographic account of Himalayan village life." – Abraham Zablocki, Agnes Scott College, in: Religious Studies Review 38.2