Ancestral Wisdom: Shaman Women In The Cinema

Wisdom and shamanism are deeply connected. Shamans are connected with nature and the spirit of all elements and pass on their ancestral wisdom from generation to generation. That of the shaman is a position of great prestige in the aboriginal communities: a shaman works with the spirit, knows how it acts and how it moves, so it is able to cure diseases of the soul.

From a historical point of view, a shaman is connected with nature and its movements, is an expert in herbal medicine and natural medicine and is willing to share his knowledge. He relies heavily on  ancestral wisdom .

Shamans can seem mysterious characters, especially due to the connection with nature, which they reach through constant meditation, but also with love for all living beings.

Shamans inherit their knowledge. What does it mean? That wisdom is acquired from the ancestors. For many generations, therefore, humanity has shared its knowledge and wisdom with children and grandchildren.

Today’s shamans know much more than a century ago, this is because human knowledge is infinite and knowledge is refined more and more. Finally, the shaman is willing to share his knowledge to make the world a better place.

The shamans in the cinema

Generally they are not called shamans, but the cinema is full of characters who play this role. Usually, these are very wise and rather eccentric older people. Younger characters, however, don’t always take their teachings seriously and often find themselves having to face complicated situations that they could have avoided if they had listened to them.

In reality, shamanism is an exclusive practice of the male gender, but this differentiation is not perceived in the world of cinema. In fact, in several films and cartoons, it is often a female character who impersonates the role of the shaman. Below we will talk about some examples of shaman women in cinema.

Ancestral wisdom in cinema

Grandma Tala, the spirit of the ocean

The animated film Oceania , directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, was released in 2016. It tells the story of the young Moana, daughter of the head of the Polynesian island of Motunui. When resources on the island begin to run low, Vaiana must embark on a journey across the ocean in search of Maui, the god of the wind, to find the heart of Te Fiti, the mother island.

Vaiana has always been attracted to the ocean, but she can’t explain why. Only old Tala, the eccentric grandmother, knows the answer. Tala is the only woman on the island to remember the origins of her people. Many years before, in fact, the people of Motunui dedicated themselves to navigation and exploration, now no longer.

Furthermore, Nonna Tala is the only one who knows how to solve the island’s problems, knows many legends and knows how to guide Vaiana towards her destiny.

Tanana, spring into winter

Koda, Brother Bear is an animated film written by Tab Murphy and directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker. Released in 2003, it tells the story of young Kenai, a child who desperately wants to become an adult.

According to the traditions of his tribe, upon reaching the age of majority, Kenai obtains from the village elder, Tanana, a totem representing his guiding spirit, the bear of love .

After unjustly killing one, the ancestral spirits transform Kenai into a bear. The boy is very confused. Soon, however, he receives the help of the elderly Tanana.

Tanana invites him to reach a sacred mountain to break the spell. He also explains that it was Sitka, his older brother, who gave him the bear-shaped totem pole. If he hadn’t received Tanana’s directions, young Kenai could not have fulfilled his destiny.

Mama Odie, the queen of the swamp

The Princess and the Frog is a 2009 animated film. The directors are the same as the film Oceania , Ron Clements and John Musker. It is the story of Tiana, a girl who dreams of opening her own restaurant.

During a party, Tiana kisses a frog who turns out to be a prince who has been cast a spell. The spell, however, turns against her and Tiana turns into a frog. Together with Prince Naveen, he will try to break the spell.

During their journey, Naveen and Tiana meet the alligator Louis, a trumpet player who dreams of being part of an orchestra. Louis reveals to them that the only person who can break the spell is Mama Odie.

Mama Odie is a voodoo priestess who lives in the Bayou, the swamp that surrounds the city of New Orleans. According to what is said in New Orleans, Mama Odie is very powerful.

A little crazy and decidedly eccentric, Mama Odie is a very wise character. Invite Tiana and Naveen to find a solution to solve their problem on their own, because she doesn’t like to solve everything with magic. Only in this way do Tiana and Naveen get to know each other and fall in love.

Age-related wisdom

The three examples of ancestral wisdom reported show that shaman women are always willing to share their wisdom. They want others to be happy and achieve their goals. They intervene in the first person in the life of the heroes or heroines of these films.

Wise elders nurture their intelligence with a great deal of experience they have accumulated throughout their lives. Much of their knowledge comes from a culture steeped in magical elements, but it is age that gives them wisdom.

There is no need to belong to an Aboriginal community to connect with the ancestral wisdom of shamans. If we pay attention, there are many wise people around us who are willing to advise and guide us. You just need to know how to listen to them.