So, you want to be a Shaman

It's said that Shamans are conduits between the spirit world and our own. Shamans can heal, protect from evil and advise on important decisions. They work through rituals, offerings, animal sacrifice and trances. No one can just decide to become a shaman; they must be chosen by ancestors. An RTD crew visits the Republic of Buryatia in Siberia, where shamanism is undergoing a revival with a growing number of shamans. Exclusive access is granted to an initiation rite for a would-be shaman, as locals explain the meaning of a trance and the communication with the spirits. We also learn of how the shamans' lives have changed since consecration.

Watch "So, you want to be a Shaman" on RTD website and on RT’s live feed. The time of the broadcast is available on RT’s schedule page.