SHAMANISM AND IDENTITY: RITUAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN HUMANS AND HIGHER POWERS IN THE EKHENAR CLAN

Li Wanrong

The purpose of this study is to examine the system of communication between people and deities within the shamanic rituals of the Yehenara clan, living in the Mudanjiang region. The objectives of the study include: 1) studying symbolic behavioral expressions; 2) investigating the symbolic system of ritual objects; and 3) assessing the influence of modern cultural changes on the evolution of shamanic rituals. The research methods are based on fieldwork and analysis of historical archives. The results confirm the key role of shamanic rituals in the construction and reproduction of the cultural identity of the Yehenara clan, emphasizing the importance of modern creative adaptations for the continuation of the ancient tradition.

Keywords:Ekhenara clan; shamanic rituals; communication between people and spirits; ancestral sacrifice; identity formation.