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| From: Leila137601 (Original Message) | Sent: 12/6/2003 8:30 AM |
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excerpt Santa
Claus Was a Shaman The long history
of the man in red who comes bearing gifts. |
|
By
John and Caitlin Matthews | Santa Claus is only the latest of many figures that
have come to be associated with bringing gifts on the night of December
25th. In France presents are given on New Year's Day and called
entrennes, a name that can be traced back to the strenae, green
branches, exchanged between people at the Roman feast of the goddess
Strenia. In Sicily it is an old woman named Strina who brings gifts at
Christmas, continuing a tradition that began in the days of the Roman
Empire.
The figure who stands behind the jolly old
man of Christmas is older even than this, however. In fact, his story
takes us back to the beginning of recorded history, when some other
characters climbed up trees of a different kind, and returned with gifts
for everyone. These were not toys or perfume or watches, but messages
concerning the year to come, the turning of the seasons, or the fate of
the world. These people were shamans, who performed the functions of
priest, historian, and record keeper, scientist and magician.
Of course there were shamans all over the
world, and in most cases, they performed the same or similar functions,
but, for obvious reasons, it is those who originated in the far
North--anywhere from Lapland to Siberia--that interest us most in this
context. It is these people who often wore bells on their ritual costumes,
who shinned up the central poles of their skin tents, and who returned
with the gifts of prophecy and wonder from the Otherworlds. It is to these
people that we have to look for the first appearance of the figure who,
thousands of years later, evolved into the jolly old man of Christmas
himself, Santa Claus.
If we look for a moment at some of those
similarities we can catch a glimpse of the evolution of one into the
other. If we dip our hands into Santa's sack--so like the shaman's bag of
tricks--the first thing we find are the bells that jingle on the harness
of the eight magical reindeer. Contemporary accounts of northern shamans,
including those of the Altaic and Buryat regions of Siberia and those of
the Finns and Laplanders, again and again emphasize the importance of
bells in their traditional costumes. These form a double function; as
noise-makers to announce the presence of the shaman as he enters the
spirit world, and to frighten off any unfriendly spirits who might be
lying in wait for him.
Red Robes and Firelight Reaching into the
sack again we find a red robe or cloak, trimmed with white. On one level,
red signifies the sacred blood that links all human beings and that is
also perceived as a link between humans and animals, and between the
shaman and the earth. It is also, of course, a symbol of fire, that most
powerful of magical weapons, as well as the gift of warmth and life to
all, especially significant in such cold lands as those we are considering
here.
The shamans possessed this gift of fire,
which initially perhaps they alone had the power to kindle (the number of
flint fire-lighters found among shaman's bundles alone is enough to
suggest this) and which was a gift they brought to the tribal people they
served. It was believed that these gifts were entrusted to them for the
people by the gods and spirits of the land. Here, the symbolism of red
fire in the white desert of winter is a vital image. Is it stretching the
point too far to see an echo of this in the red and white costume and
white beard of a certain other figure?
Dipping into the sack again we find reindeer
with bells on their harnesses, who can fly through the sky and cover vast
distance in no time at all. This is yet another echo of the shaman's
journey into and through the heavens.
So Santa is an old man dressed in red who
comes out of the dark forest of the North on a sleigh pulled by
reindeer...the shaman climbing down through the smoke hole of a skin tent
with bells jingling, bearing in his hands a red painted wooden
reindeer.
|
|
Excerpted from 'The
Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas' by John
Matthews with Caitlin Matthews, Quest Books.
| | http://www.beliefnet.com/story/3/story_321_1.html |
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Is this something to ponder, or is it just a LOL? ~wabbus |
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Pretty interesting post, Leila.... thanks. I also followed the BeliefNet link.... definitely worth further explorations :) |
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Reply
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Hi Red & Wabbus, Reading the Santa was Shaman excerpt had me thinking since I had never thought of him in that light but it is a most intriguing interpretation! Perhaps Santa is a little bit of all the legends and concepts folks have had about him. And Wabbus, it was definitely a pondering post (though it did make me smile). Blessings, Leila |
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excerpt
Santa Claus Was a Shaman The long history
of the man in red who comes bearing gifts. |
|
By John and Caitlin Matthews | Santa Claus is only the latest of many
figures that have come to be associated with bringing gifts on the night
of December 25th. In France presents are given on New Year's Day and
called entrennes, a name that can be traced back to the strenae,
green branches, exchanged between people at the Roman feast of the goddess
Strenia. In Sicily it is an old woman named Strina who brings gifts at
Christmas, continuing a tradition that began in the days of the Roman
Empire.
The figure who stands behind
the jolly old man of Christmas is older even than this, however. In fact,
his story takes us back to the beginning of recorded history, when some
other characters climbed up trees of a different kind, and returned with
gifts for everyone. These were not toys or perfume or watches, but
messages concerning the year to come, the turning of the seasons, or the
fate of the world. These people were shamans, who performed the functions
of priest, historian, and record keeper, scientist and magician.
Of course there were shamans
all over the world, and in most cases, they performed the same or similar
functions, but, for obvious reasons, it is those who originated in the far
North--anywhere from Lapland to Siberia--that interest us most in this
context. It is these people who often wore bells on their ritual costumes,
who shinned up the central poles of their skin tents, and who returned
with the gifts of prophecy and wonder from the Otherworlds. It is to these
people that we have to look for the first appearance of the figure who,
thousands of years later, evolved into the jolly old man of Christmas
himself, Santa Claus.
If we look for a moment at some
of those similarities we can catch a glimpse of the evolution of one into
the other. If we dip our hands into Santa's sack--so like the shaman's bag
of tricks--the first thing we find are the bells that jingle on the
harness of the eight magical reindeer. Contemporary accounts of northern
shamans, including those of the Altaic and Buryat regions of Siberia and
those of the Finns and Laplanders, again and again emphasize the
importance of bells in their traditional costumes. These form a double
function; as noise-makers to announce the presence of the shaman as he
enters the spirit world, and to frighten off any unfriendly spirits who
might be lying in wait for him.
Red Robes and
Firelight Reaching into the sack again we find a red robe or cloak,
trimmed with white. On one level, red signifies the sacred blood that
links all human beings and that is also perceived as a link between humans
and animals, and between the shaman and the earth. It is also, of course,
a symbol of fire, that most powerful of magical weapons, as well as the
gift of warmth and life to all, especially significant in such cold lands
as those we are considering here.
The shamans possessed this gift
of fire, which initially perhaps they alone had the power to kindle (the
number of flint fire-lighters found among shaman's bundles alone is enough
to suggest this) and which was a gift they brought to the tribal people
they served. It was believed that these gifts were entrusted to them for
the people by the gods and spirits of the land. Here, the symbolism of red
fire in the white desert of winter is a vital image. Is it stretching the
point too far to see an echo of this in the red and white costume and
white beard of a certain other figure?
Dipping into the sack again we
find reindeer with bells on their harnesses, who can fly through the sky
and cover vast distance in no time at all. This is yet another echo of the
shaman's journey into and through the heavens.
So Santa is an old
man dressed in red who comes out of the dark forest of the North on a
sleigh pulled by reindeer...the shaman climbing down through the smoke
hole of a skin tent with bells jingling, bearing in his hands a red
painted wooden reindeer.
|
|
Excerpted from 'The Winter Solstice: The Sacred
Traditions of Christmas' by John Matthews with Caitlin Matthews,
Quest Books.
| |
|
|
Reply
| |
My personal opinion is that Santa Claus may represent the survival of one or more Pagan deities and archetypes. He has his reindeer in the same way that the Gods Cernunnos of the Celts and Freyr of the Norse-Germanic peoples were associated with stags and other horned creatures. The Norse God Odin was called "Jölföðr" which means Yule-Father and parallels the name Father Christmas a.k.a. Santa Claus. Merlin rode a reindeer as he returned from Scotland and sometimes is represented in the shape of a stag. Santa travels across the sky as did Odin and apparently Cernunnos as well. Santa's helpers are elves and Freyr was considered to be the Lord of the Light Elves and his stronghold in Asgard is Alfheim(Elf-home). Santa-like archetypal figures are often associated with shamanic practices in ancient societies, so I'd imagine that calling Santa Claus a shaman isn't too far off the mark. Blessed Be, Lord Badger |
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Reply
| |
Santa Claus Was a Shaman
The long history of the man in red who comes bearing gifts.
BY: John and
Caitlin Matthews
Santa Claus is only the latest of many
figures that have come to be associated with bringing gifts on the night of
December 25th. In France presents are given on New Year's Day and called entrennes, a name that can be traced back to the strenae,
green branches, exchanged between people at the Roman feast of the goddess
Strenia. In Sicily it is an old woman named Strina who brings gifts at
Christmas, continuing a tradition that began in the days of the Roman Empire.
The figure who stands behind the jolly old man of Christmas
is older even than this, however. In fact, his story takes us back to the
beginning of recorded history, when some other characters climbed up trees of a
different kind, and returned with gifts for everyone. These were not toys or
perfume or watches, but messages concerning the year to come, the turning of the
seasons, or the fate of the world. These people were shamans, who performed the
functions of priest, historian, and record keeper, scientist and magician.
Of course there were shamans all over the world, and in most
cases, they performed the same or similar functions, but, for obvious reasons,
it is those who originated in the far North--anywhere from Lapland to
Siberia--that interest us most in this context. It is these people who often
wore bells on their ritual costumes, who shinned up the central poles of their
skin tents, and who returned with the gifts of prophecy and wonder from the
Otherworlds. It is to these people that we have to look for the first appearance
of the figure who, thousands of years later, evolved into the jolly old man of
Christmas himself, Santa Claus.
If we look for a moment at some of those similarities we can
catch a glimpse of the evolution of one into the other. If we dip our hands into
Santa's sack--so like the shaman's bag of tricks--the first thing we find are
the bells that jingle on the harness of the eight magical reindeer. Contemporary
accounts of northern shamans, including those of the Altaic and Buryat regions
of Siberia and those of the Finns and Laplanders, again and again emphasize the
importance of bells in their traditional costumes. These form a double function;
as noise-makers to announce the presence of the shaman as he enters the spirit
world, and to frighten off any unfriendly spirits who might be lying in wait for
him.Red Robes and Firelight Reaching
into the sack again we find a red robe or cloak, trimmed with white. On one
level, red signifies the sacred blood that links all human beings and that is
also perceived as a link between humans and animals, and between the shaman and
the earth. It is also, of course, a symbol of fire, that most powerful of
magical weapons, as well as the gift of warmth and life to all, especially
significant in such cold lands as those we are considering here.
The shamans possessed this gift of fire, which initially
perhaps they alone had the power to kindle (the number of flint fire-lighters
found among shaman's bundles alone is enough to suggest this) and which was a
gift they brought to the tribal people they served. It was believed that these
gifts were entrusted to them for the people by the gods and spirits of the land.
Here, the symbolism of red fire in the white desert of winter is a vital image.
Is it stretching the point too far to see an echo of this in the red and white
costume and white beard of a certain other figure?
Dipping into the sack again we find reindeer with bells on
their harnesses, who can fly through the sky and cover vast distance in no time
at all. This is yet another echo of the shaman's journey into and through the
heavens.
So Santa is an old man dressed in red who comes out of the
dark forest of the North on a sleigh pulled by reindeer...the shaman climbing
down through the smoke hole of a skin tent with bells jingling, bearing in his
hands a red painted wooden reindeer.
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