> But I have to ask now, because I have totally lost the gist of the
> thread... what shamans are we talking about? What specific practices and
> in what specific culture? What costs and to what community? Who are we
> discussing?
Thanks, I was loosing sight of the purpose of all this.  I needed a
reminder.
> What are we deconstructing? It seems like it is getting constructed on
> the fly. 
No, that can't be!!!  That would reek of Shaminism! 
And then all this... would... be... a... SHAM!!!! 
-Prof. Tim