Bushmen Shaman Entering Trance, Botswana
Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher

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Trance dancing is one of the major ritual forms of healing among the Bushmen. At night, Bushmen shamans gather together to dance around a large fire. They are said to be “dancing eland potency” as they enter the spirit world, where they make contact with the sacred animal and draw on its healing powers. As one shaman falls into a trance, another one holds him protectively.