They told us, that shamanism is an ability of communicating with spirits and it is inherent, that it is possible to teach just rites, and the ability of communicating with spirits - never. There were also two girls with fair hair and eyes in the same robbing sitting among shamans-tuvinians. The name of one of them was Benedikta, she was Dane, the other one - Natasha, and there was a feeling, that the local shamans consider the both girls as equal to them. Certainly, we could not help asking Natasha how did she get to Tuva and became a shaman. The girl did not proliferate, she just told us, that she came from Moscow more than two years back, that originally she is from the family of sorcerers, that the grandfather is still healing people. Generally, we decided, that the both "white" shamans came "for the experience exchange", or just decided to changet their magical "specialization".
After the introduction talk to the shamans we were offered to make a visit to any of them to learn our future, to pass a ritual of purification or to learn about our health. And we went to the clinic. The cheapest service in "clinic" was fortune-telling - 150 rubles. It waschosen by the majority ofus, as we were provoked, first of all, by curiosity. "My" shaman smoked me with aktish - dry burning juniper twigs, then he put out a candle, laid a white rag and, whispering something, started putting small stones on it. I won't disclose the details of the prediction, but shaman didn't forsee anything frightening in my future life, and even gave me a hope in some extent. However, he supposed, that I'm engaged in science and work in research institute.
The magicians gave quite concrete recommendations to some of us. They were related to health, and private life, and family, and work. For instance, a shaman woman told tone of our tourists, that if he doesn't fire one person that signs papers instead of him in an underhand way and steals money, all the problems of the firm would be solved. In the evening shamans made a visit to our camp for kamlaniye - a rite of communicating with spirits. They made a bonfire with some special technique, and we all sat around. Each of us was given a fired scented stick and a thin piece of fabric which we should tie on "ova" - a sacred shaman tree not far from the fire. For some time shamans stood near it with their arms raised to the sky before starting the action. By the way, usually one sahaman makes a rite, two maximum, and then six people came to us - it was a unique case. It was supposed, that it would be a rite of purification for some of us, somebody would meditate, and some other would just make a wish and it would come true.
An intercourse of shamans with spirits is a captivating show. The one started, later the others joined him, they were beating tambourines, each with his own rhythm, were making drawling sounds, moved, stood up, walked, changed places and walked away from fire, were coming back and having their seats again. An uneven light of the fire added a mystery to the ritual. It continued about forty minutes. The spectators behaved differently. Somebody was sitting with his eyes shut, somebody was looking at the fire charmed, and somebody was watching the ritual with interest. What about the inner state, many told later, that shamans affected them. I must confess, my journalistiv scepsis was not broken through by this action. However, it couldbe, that the reason is not in scepsis: I was more worried by a photography, that's why I didn't concentrate on the ritual. But I tied the cord "ova", and if the wish comes true - I'll let you know.

To be continued.
Irina Tyurina