“Capturing the Treasured Wisdom of Female Shamans in Russia”
“Despite Russia often being regarded as very white and Orthodox Christian, the spectrum of religions, cultures, and beliefs within its vast territory is incredibly diverse, from organized religions such as Buddhism and Islam to the rituals of the Mari people, who are regarded as the last pagans of Europe. An authentic local tradition of spiritual practices has been going in Tuva for centuries…
Being a shaman in Tuva is open to both men and women. On her first trip Ivanova met female shaman, Tatiana, who’s become one of her favourite subjects to photograph. “Tatiana speaks both Russian and Tuvan, and she is a treasury of myths, legends, tales and all kind of Eastern wisdom. You can ask her about anything and get mind-blowing answers to any questions. She was showing me incredible places and telling its legends.
“In the shaman’s world every rock, every mountain, every river has its own story and purpose. I filmed one of her rituals on the sacred mount Khaiyrakan. The atmosphere there is out of this world. The foundation of this mountain consists of special minerals and ores which create magnetic fields, so time there flows in a different way than in the rest of the world.”
