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by The Federated States of Domanania. . 218 reads.

Tíwaeism (Doman Shamanism)

Doman Shamanism

Doman shamanism (also called Tíwaeism) is an animistic ethnic religion of Domanania which dates back to prehistory and consists of the worship of gods (Tutsín) and ancestors (Tsandjo) as well as spirits (Dudang/Tudang).

The general word for shaman/priest in Doman is Píkeu. Other terms are used locally to denote male and female shamans. The role of the Píku is to act as intermediary between the spirits or gods and humanity in order to solve hitches in the development of life, through the practice of goyi rituals.

Central to Doman shamanism is the belief in many different gods, supernatural beings and ancestor worship. The Píkeu are described as chosen for their role by the gods or spirits.

Doman shamanism has had many divisions within it, with an estimated 20 branches of the religion being practiced in the modern day, with 4 major branches that dominate the demographics.


Names of the Religion

Tíwaeism is the most common name for this specific religion, although other terms used to define Doman shamanism include Tsandjotsínsubae (Way of the Ancestral Gods), and Dudangsubae (Way of the Spirits). Both are used in the context of the resurgence of Zhoteism, and Shamanic associations in modern Domanania use the terms Dudang or Píkeugura ("shamanic way of the spirits") to define their congregations or membership, and Píkeupaem ("person who does shamanism") to define the shamans.


Types and Roles of Shamans

Traditionally, the Píkeu were comprised of both male and female shamans. Female shamans were far more prevalent in history. They were often seen as preferable for communing with the gods, partially due to the fact that most of the gods are depicted as female. Male píkeu were uncommon before the 21st century. In the modern day, male píkeu make up about 40% of all shamans.

Traditionally, the husbands of female píkeu would often enroll in a elite warrior and scholar group under the employ of the emperor.

There are four basic categories of shamans, referred to by the dominant local name for shamans.

The Tsínpíkeu shamans are traditionally found in the south of Domanania. They are initiated into shamanism by Hathwagoyi (Lit. Sickness Rite), an illness caused by a god entering their bodies, and is cured only through initiation. They share their body with the soul of a specific deity. During shamanic rituals, they undergo trance possession and speak with the voice of the god being invoked.


A Píkeu performing a ritual

The Sípíkeu-type shamans (Village Shamans) are priests and not shamans in the strict sense. They are found in the Northern and Western provinces, although they are increasingly displaced by the dominance of Tsínpípíkeu shamanism in Domanania. The Sípíkeu are hereditary, rather than being initiated by a supernatural experience. They have no supernatural powers, are not associated with their own gods, and do not undergo trance possession. They merely worship a number of gods with a fixed set of rituals. Unlike Tsínpíkeu shamans, Sípíkeu-type shamans are associated with the gods of their specific community.

The Taegeupíkeu-type shamans are found only in the island region, and combine features of the previous shaman types. Like the Tsínpíkeu, the Taegeupíkeu are associated with a specific set of gods. But these gods do not inhabit the shaman's body but are externalized in the form of the Taegeu, a set of sacred ritual implements in which the gods and spirits of dead shamans are embodied. The Taegeupíkeu's basic task is to understand the divine message conveyed by their Taegeu and to use the Taegeu to worship the gods.

The Zharpíkeu-type shamans co-occur with the Sípíkeu-type shamans. They are believed to be possessed by the spirits of dead children, and are able to divine the future but do not participate in general rituals for the gods. They can however commune with spirits, and are able to most easily conjure and banish spirits, since Doman spirits are drawn towards the child spirits.


"Divine Sickness" & "Heavenly Light"

People who become shamans are believed to be "chosen" by gods or spirits through a spiritual experience known as Tsínhathwa ("divine sickness"), a form of ecstasy, which entails the possession from a god and a "self-loss". This state is said to manifest in symptoms of physical pain and psychosis. Believers assert that the physical and mental symptoms are not subject to medical treatment, but are healed only when the possessed accepts a full communion with the spirit.

The illness is characterized by a loss of appetite, insomnia, visual and auditory hallucinations. The possessed then undergoes a ritual which serves both to heal the sickness and to formally establish the person as a shaman.

Doman shamans also experience Tsíngíwa ("heavenly light"), which is the channeling of a god, during which the shaman speaks prophetically.Tsíngíwa is also experienced by entire communities during the goyi held by the shaman, and is a moment which relieves from social pressure, both physical and mental.


Origins

Shamanism can be traced back to 4,000 B.C.E. The religion has been part of the culture of the Doman since then. Historically, Doman Shamanism was an orally transmitted tradition that was mastered mainly by illiterate low-ranking women within the cultural hierarchy.

There have been studies to see if there is a link to a greater root religion within The Western Isles by using Doman Shamanism as an example. It is compared to religions native to the region that were formed before the year 1,000 B.C.E to see if there are common themes between them.


Development

The development of Doman Shamanism can be categorized into different groups. The first category involves simple transformation. In this transformation, the influence of the practices and beliefs of other religions on Doman Shamanism was superficial. The second category of transmission was syncretic. This category involves Shamanism being incorporated into the practices and beliefs of other cultures and religions. This included gods of other pantheons, or religious practices fusing with shamanism. The third category involves the formation of new religions through the mixing of beliefs and practices of Shamanism with those of other religions.

The introduction of Christianity to the island in the 17th-19th centuries had the largest effects on Doman Shamanism. It split into the 4th largest single branch of the faith in a syncretic fashion. This resulted in a christian/shamanistic mix that has resulted in modern tensions as it is also the fastest growing branch, still gaining new members across the country.


Practices

The goyi are the rites performed by shamans, involving offerings and sacrifices to gods and ancestors. They are characterized by rhythmic movements, songs, oracles and prayers. These rites are meant to create welfare, promoting commitment between the spirits and humankind.

Through song and dance, the shaman begs the gods to intervene in the fortune of humans. The shaman wears a very colorful costume and normally speaks in ecstasy. During a goyi, the shaman changes his or her costume several times.

There are different types of goyi, which vary from region to region.

Purity of both the body and the mind is a state that is required for taking part in rituals. Purification is considered necessary for an efficacious communion between living people and ancestral forms. Before any goyi is performed, the altar is always purified by fire and water, as part of the first goyi of the ritual itself. The color white, extensively used in rituals, is regarded as a symbol of purity. The purification of the body is performed by burning white paper.


History

Shamanism goes back to prehistoric times, pre-dating the introduction of Christianity and of Oelasthiriasi. Vestiges of temples dedicated to gods and spirits have been found on tops and slopes of many mountains, as well in secluded forest and hill sites throughout the country.

With the first conquest by the Divine Corinthusi Empire in the early 10th century, Doman Shamanism was outlawed or repressed in most places., but this did not slow the practice of the religion as much as the invaders hoped. In fact, there was an opposite effect where more than 14 separate branches formed due to their influence. It is because of this, Doman Shamanism is considered one of the most flexible and adaptable religions currently in existence.

In the 17th century, under control of the Khas-Kirati Companies, the practice of Doman Shamanism was more actively suppressed. At the same time, christian missionaries and Protacist sects were entering the country, and actively began to convert large groups of people. This would result in new additional syncretic faiths being born. In company controlled areas, Shamanism almost became an underground religion, and would not see widespread worship in any capacity until the mid 19th century.

Following the Imperial War, Doman Shamanism was used by both the Republic and the Junta as a political weapon. The Junta targeted those of non-major branches or other religions and forced them to convert or be sent away just as the lawbringers did centuries ago. Meanwhile the republic used it as a welcoming tool to draw people to their side, and encourage outside support. The divide from these two tactics still causes some divides among practitioners today, with an almost distinct "east vs west" approach to practice. The Junta was also responsible for the destruction of secular temples and forced temples to follow government racial policies, with Píkeu being arrested and temples destroyed for not following these policies.


Branches

While over 20 branches exist, there are four major branches.

Traditional
The first and largest branch is traditional Shamanism, which closely follows the ancient practices, and is most widely worshiped. This branch also considers the those following Protacism sects in any capacity to be under this umbrella.

Zhoteism
The second is Zhoteism. This was born from the great king, Zhote Tave who was the first emperor of the country. He was the first to codify a written set of rules for the practice of Shamanism, on top of a series of texts that outlined a type of legalist, and personal responsibility. It primarily asserts that Zhote Tave was a manifestation of the gods pouring their energy into a single human to bless him with great knowledge, physical power, and long life. Elevating him to the level of divine within the pantheon.

The branch is also referred to as "City Shamanism" or "Government Shamanism" as it was primarily promoted by the governments for its emphasis on submission to the government within the cities, while rural communities practiced other branches. Along with a series of texts emphasizing the importance of the self, personal connections with the divine and spiritual, and a reinforcement of paternal family structures, it has taken on the tenants of not having a need for foreign gods. This was believed to have seen more widespread practice during the 17th-19th centuries as other religions began to spread within the country. While it is considered an inflexible branch, it was affected deeply by Oelasthiriasi as many of their beliefs were compatible.

Kokeotudang

Kokeotudang or "The 1,000 Spirits" is a very rural branch, which focuses on the veneration of ancestors and spirits, more so than gods. Kokeotudang is ancient, and is assumed to have evolved shortly after the traditionalist branches. This branch has adopted a lot of the texts of Zhoteism regarding the self and personal betterment, as well as moral and spiritual balance. Oelasthiriasi had great effects on this as well. A temple devoted to this branch was responsible for developing a national marshal art known as "1,000 Roots", a martial art designed to root a person to the earth, and to "Find 1,000 ways to break your opponent".

The Born Again Son

The Church of the Born Again Son is a christian syncretic faith which first showed up in the 18th and 19th centuries. It formed from a belief that Zhote Tave was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Since historically Zhote Tave was born after Christ, it was believed that his soul entered Zhote Tave to enlighten the island. This branch splits in two, where one group desires more christian teachings, while others lean more towards traditional teachings and that of Zhoteism.


Temples

Temples aren't commonly found in cities, but villages, mountains and farmland.

When the Khas-Kirati introduced Oelasthiriasi, its temples were built on or near the shaman shrines. For 200 years, Oelasthiriasi temples took over the old shamanistic shrines. However, in the modern day, the shrines are used as secular sites. They will often have symbols near the entrance denoting which religions are able to be practiced there.

Inside will be a waist height shrine with either a statue and mural painting, or just a mural painting. Offerings of candles, incense, water and fruit are commonly supplemented with alcoholic drinks. On the floor of this small shine room one will frequently see a cushion.


A temple in Dontesa

There are shamanic temples dotted around major cities, maybe one or two. But most of the time, they operate out of commercial temples. A shaman will rent a room for the day, and customers meet them there to carry out the ritual. There could be five rituals going at the same time in this building, the shamans go where the clients are. There are over 400 shrines on the rural islands of the Tsan Province which the people there have worshiped for centuries, it is the highest concentration of temples to people in Domanania, followed closely by Dontesa which is referred to as "The temple capital of the country".

The Doman religion was suppressed in different times and this led to a declining number of shrines. The destruction, neglect, or dilapidation of shamanic shrines was particularly extensive in the mid 20th century as the Junta destroyed shrines that would not conform to their policies. In recent years there have been cases of reconstruction of shrines and resumption of rites in some villages affected by oppressive policies.


Burial Rites

In Doman Shamanism, burial rites are a key feature and is almost unchanged across all branches for the last thousand years.

If given the chance, before an individual dies, they are to inform their family or a local temple how they wish to be buried. They have one of three options typically, before other faiths become involved.

Burial: An individual can choose to be buried in a family mausoleum, temple grave yard, or a "mountain burial". A mountain burial is considered an after death pilgrimage, where the body will be preserved, often mummified, and transported deep into the mountains where they will be buried in an unmarked spot. They then often plant a tree or some kind of flower over the body. This specific form of burial has been regulated by the local governments, as they do not want to over populate the mountains with burials.

Cremation: The individual may choose to be cremated. This is the process favored by unexpected deaths. Once cremated, their ashes are spread over an area of their choice, often woods or along a mountainside. However, it is most common for people to seal their ashes in a heavy urn, and buried at sea by dropping the urn into the sea. In the modern day, cremated remains may be kept, and a common trend is getting the ashes pressed into colorful jewelry to be worn, displayed, or kept in the urn.

Open Air Burials

A common practice after the Khas-Kirati subjugation and subsequent cultural and religious mixing, is a practice known as open air burials. A practice where a body is placed in an open area, or atop hills and mountains, and the body is consumed by wild animals and birds. This practice is common among rural and mountain communities. In most cases, the bones that are not consumed are taken and fed to pigs or other farm animals.


Civil Rights and Religion

Doman Shamanism has had a unique way of defining civil rights in the modern day. In particular, regarding the status of women, gender identity, and sexuality.

When it comes to women, they had almost equal standing with men when it came to the roles of the Píkeu, since men and women could be shamans equally. This often lead to a mutual respect to women for a long while. However, men still held higher status than women. Women were even allowed to hold high offices on occasion, should they pass the required exams. When the country democratized and allowed the common people to vote, women were granted the right to vote merely 10 years after, only after certain counties prevented women from voting on a technicality, since they were not specified in the constitution. This was also a problem because of Zhoteism putting a strict sense of paternal dominance, and often lead to the repression of women's rights.

Gender identity and Sexuality are a more recent issue to be addressed through the religion. Before the 19th and 20th centuries, it was often thought to be a common occurrence for those to "Walk in the path of Djazhakae". In this, they were often androgynous and had no concept of "straight or gay". Píkeu were often favored if they were androgynous because of this. There are many stories of the god being described as both male and female, and has had human and spiritual lovers of all kinds. This is why the LGBT+ community has a strong presence in the country, with gay rights being guaranteed constitutionally before the turn of the 20th century. However, certain groups have also turned to stories and myths that they believe say the opposite. Also, linguistically Doman has no gender. This makes it easy for individuals to change their pronouns and has been shown in recent studies to increase the acceptance of Trans individuals compared to other countries.


Pantheon of Gods

Below is the list of the native Doman Gods and their creation myths. There are cultural stories about all these deities from all over the country, that are wide ranging in scope and detail. Some of these gods have either absorbed, or been absorbed by the gods of Oelasthiriasi and Protacism.


Híneu

Híneu was born of the void in the beginning of the universe. He coalesced his physical form over the course of 10,000 years. He drew the energy around him inwards, and created a physical form that was overflowing with energy. He could not contain the energy within himself and began to form the primordial energy within him into what would become the heavens and the earth. He created a golden palace atop a mountain that loomed over all the universe. From this palace flowed the energy of the universe from the throne of the Tsín (Heaven/Heavenly) Palace. This energy flowed out into the universe in mighty rivers. For another 10,000 years, Híneu was alone and desired a family. From his desire, children grew from the many rivers of the universe.


Hínwa

Hínwa was the first child born. She was born from the heavenly river of knowledge. She emerged, fully formed and dressed in the finest white robes. At the behest of Híneu, she would teach all those after them how to create, how to live, and how to harness their gifts. To give them a world of their own to manipulate, Hínwa created the earth from energy freely given by Híneu.


Ríyeo

Ríyeo was the next child and was born from the river of life. She emerged from a tree on the banks that would grow to cover the heavens. The roots of her tree penetrated into the earth below the heavens, causing great grasslands and forests to appear. She would create the first animals from the teachings of Hínwa. She created all the animals of the earth, and gave them the gift of pregnancy and birth so that animals may multiply. She also desired an intelligent creature to roam the earth. So with the help of Hínwa, they created the first Humans of mud and leaves of the great tree. These humans would be instrumental, as they were the only creatures that were able to actively call upon the power of spirits and the gods, and became the first creatures to learn from, and worship the gods.


Hathwasha

Hathwasha was not born of a river or the energy of the universe. Instead, he was born from Ríyeo's tree. He was born in the roots, trapped by the ever expanding tendrils of the great tree. Because of this, he could not use energy from the great rivers to give him life. He became sick, and infected the roots of the tree. Because of this, the energy giving life to all creatures began to fade, causing them to die. When they died, their energy was absorbed by the roots of the tree, and fed into Hathwasha. When he absorbed their energy, he also could see their entire life as a story within their souls. From this, he could see the love his sister had for her creations, and could see the pain it was causing her. So, to not kill all of her creations, he would gain control over what he killed. He would only take from those that were sick, old, or were victims of hunting.


Neseu:

When Ríyeo's Great Tree began to spread its branches and leaves across the sky, the bright eternal sky grew dark as it shaded the universe from eternal light. As the three grew, and as Hathwasha caused living things to die, some of the leaves of the great tree fell away. Giving faint lights to peer through the darkness. These were the first stars. The creatures of the earth were lost in the dark however. And from this, Neseu was born from the third river. She could see all that there was in darkness. Shrouded in a dress of the darkest silk, she would hide in the sky and show the way for lost creatures. With her mighty bow she could pierce the thick canopy of the Great Tree and shed some light upon the land. She would collect freshly cut leaves from the tree, and would use them to create two children of her own. These were Won and Shíneu. Won would be a great ball of light, carrying part of the eternal light within him. He would stay in the sky and shine light upon the earth. However, his sister Shíneu would only contain a fragment of the eternal light. Being young children by design, the two would play in an eternal cycle of chasing each other across the sky. This would result in the cycles of Day and Night. Whenever the two would pass the horizon, creating twilight, it was said to be the closest to the heavens that creatures of the earth could get.


Tayama

Tayama was originally born as the Goddess of the Hunt. She taught humans and predatory animals how to hunt and kill. As time grew on, she grew restless. She lusted for the hunt, for the kill. She soon grew bored, having hunted every creature, and every creature having hunted eachother. Eventually she noticed growing human societies and the potential hidden there. She bathed in her river, giving her the power to shape shift. She took the form of a Crow and would perch herself in a window of a powerful chief. All night long she whispered lies to him, imitating the sound of his rival. By the next morning she was gone, but her work was done. Soon the chief went to "hunt" his rival with a grand hunting party. This was the first war. Tayama felt joy and euphoria as humans slaughtered each other. She immediately was confronted by Ríyeo for causing irreparable harm to her humans. Ríyeo would use powerful magic to bind Tayama to crow form until the time Híneu no longer gave energy to the universe. This, would give birth to their most mischievous sibling, Kísheuyowo.

Djazhakae

Djazhakae was born when his father, Híneu, heard a song in his head. When he hummed the tune out loud, Djazhakae manifested. As a child, he radiated such love, that all the gods believed him to be a woman, just like his sister Ríyeo. Even as he grew older, his appearance took that of a woman and a man at the same time. When he was a teenager, he had become rather androgynous in appearance, and represented both man, and woman. One day, he whistled a new tune while sitting under the great tree, and the bark peeled off and became a flute. The flute was golden in appearance, and whenever it was played, edible foods would grow from the ground.

Humans witnessed this power and began to make offerings to Djazhakae to grow more food in their fields. Instead of playing for the humans, he instead taught them how to make their own instruments, and how to properly harvest the food that would sprout from the ground. Once a year, humans would make offerings to Djazhakae to bring a bountiful harvest. This usually takes the form of a large festival full of feasting and music. Jazhakae also is responsible for the creation of man and woman. The love he radiated and tried gifting to mortals was too much for a single person to handle. So with help from his sister, he split his aspect into two halves, and gifted them to humans. Those who inherited his male aspect became men, and those who inherited his female aspect, became women. He then created the ceremony of marriage to unite two humans who shared his aspects. Djazhakae is the individual god most widely worshiped, and is loved most by humans.


Kísheuyowo

Kísheuyowo was born when Ríyeo cast the first spell to bind Tayama in crow form. When this happened, she took all the magic from her siblings. However, unlike most of her siblings, she was not born of a river, and only small rivers were left for her to claim. She grew resentful of her siblings who could draw from the well of cosmic power of their rivers, while she could only draw ambient energy from the air. So using her magic, she created new forms of life. First, she took leaves that fell from the great tree and created magical spirits. These creatures were not made with purpose, and were made at random. They were then given the earth for them to live, angering Ríyeo who did not approve of these uncontrollable spirits. She then created the first dragons from pure magical energy, stolen from each of the major rivers. This angered all of the gods, as they felt their energy was stolen.

Her dragons were almost entirely benevolent. They were intelligent and often communicated with the humans. The dragons taught humans how to use magic, how to control the spirits, and how to achieve divinity and ascend to godhood. This angered all of the gods, who began to hunt down the mighty dragons across the heavens and the earth. Kísheuyowo grew ever more angry that her children were being killed for simply teaching what the gods would not. Then the war in the heavens began. The war caused the world of mortals to go into turmoil. The sun and the moon would hide for days at a time to avoid the wrath of the god's battle, which caused massive floods and fires across the earth.

After many centuries, Híneu finally cast Kísheuyowo out of the heavens, along with her remaining dragon children. She was cast into a realm of pure darkness under the earth, forever forbidden from returning to the heavens. Many of her children successfully hid on earth, but without their mother to control them, many went into hiding on earth, hiding as powerful spirits of the elements.

With the fall of Kísheuyowo, magic almost entirely left the earth and humans lost control of the spirits. This gave way to the shamanism that would dominate the religion, as the only way to both convene with the gods, use magic, and control spirits.


Písheu

Písheu was born when all the rivers emptied into the great empty canyons and craters that covered the earth. All the energies mixed and filled the emptiness, creating the oceans. She formed from all the animals who were trapped under the water. She brought them all together, and then created all sea life to exist in her new realm. When humans saw the bounty of life her realm possessed, they soon learned how to make boats and soon began to hunt her creatures for food. This upset the young goddess. She wept for her children, and her turbulent emotions caused the water to act violently. It began to dash boats upon the coast and rocky outcroppings. Even going so far as to shift the winds and bring her fury upon the humans inland, striking at them with her storms. However, Písheu noticed that humans did not fish as much at night. So she asked Won to help protect her waters. Won then helped pull the water back out to sea, preventing humans from accessing the water. But during the day, the water would return and allow the humans access again. Once humans saw her wrath and power, they began to pray and make offerings to her. Humans and Písheu made a contract. Písheu would only exact her furious powers on the humans as punishment, and as part of the seasons that brought them rains for their farms. Humans, in exchange, would be given the first nets woven from her hair, boats that could sail great distances, and great canvasses to harness her powerful winds.

Okí

Okí was born right after Písheu during the creation of the oceans. The water trapped the energy of the universe below the surface, with no escape. This energy would rise up from the surface, and create new land. These were the first volcanoes. He was a fickle god, exacting his wrath with pent up energy at random. He caused the earth to shake, the skies to darken, and to poison the air.


Types of Spirits

In Doman Shamanism, there are thousands of spirits that roam the earth. While each one is unique, and there can be many of the same kind, they are generally classified into 4 groups.

Hín/Hínudang

Known as "Energy Spirits", these spirits are formed through the energy of the universe, and are a reflection of the balance in the world. Typically, they are born when the world is imbalance. If the world is in a state of dark imbalance, the spirit will be more malicious, and evil in nature called a Nwodudang (Dark Spirit). Inversely, if there is a light imbalance, they will be kind and benevolent called a Gíwadudang (Light Spirit). When the world is in balance, these spirits are neutral and will often keep to themselves called Shokuidudang (Neutral Spirit).


A home shrine dedicated to the family's ancestors

Mogeududang

Often called "earth spirits", these are spirits that are formed from the earth and nature. They represent everything from the grass, to great trees, mountains, and all the animals. If it is part of the earth, and is entirely natural, there is often a spirit associated with it. These spirits are often neutral and do not interfere in the lives of humans. Humans will often convene with them to seek their blessings, or to appease them in times of human interference. They are often attributed to natural disasters and phenomenon on the small scale, while larger events are attributed to the gods.

Tsankímae

These are called "Mental Spirits". They are the most uncommon kind of spirits, and are directly attributed to human actions. These spirits are created when humans either collectively or individually do something extraordinary.

If a human were to save the life of a person, their good deed spawns a Mental Spirit. Likewise if a community help put out a burning building, a spirit of good is formed. Inversely, if a human were to murder another, or if a group of people condemned an innocent man to death, a spirit of evil is formed. Depending on the doctrine being practiced, they are either formed from pure intentions or not. If you do a good act for personal gain, you can form an evil spirit. Or if you do an evil act against your will, or in spite of your efforts to do good, no spirit may be formed.

Tsandjo

These "Ancestor Spirits" are formed purely from the death of human, and how their spirit is venerated after death. They are often called ghosts, but they are more complicated. These are often divided into two groups.

The first are the spirits of venerated ancestors. As long as one pays respect to the family shrine, or to the specific ancestor, their spirit may remain on the earth. They may provide blessings for the family, or convene with other spirits in the place of a Píkeu. These spirits can also be from family members who wish to remain around those they knew in life as a neutral spirit. However, if an spirit feels it has been mistreated or disrespected, it may become indifferent or vengeful. If it's the later, it becomes the 2nd type of spirit.

The second spirit is a vengeful spirit. These spirits may be angry ancestors, or a human who buried in an improper manner or against their wishes. They are more like the ghosts of the western world, often being malicious and haunting individuals, buildings, or geographic locations. Exorcising these spirits often involves ritual offerings and a goyi to expunge the spirit. This can be the Píkeu or family members prostrating themselves and begging for forgiveness.

Those that adhere to the Zhoteism texts, or Protacism believe the nature of the Tsandjodudan are a reflection of the individual's life, and how their moral balance influences their spirit. Also that the balance of the area may affect spirits already present. Such as if a benevolent spirit moved into an area with a negative balance, the spirit may become vengeful, or cleanse the area.

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