KUCHING, Aug 13 — Kuching will be host to the country’s first ever conference on shamanism, to be held from August 25 to 28 at the Borneo Cultures Museum.
Organised by the Sarawak Museum Department and the International Society for Academic Research on Shamanism (ISARS), the international conference is titled ‘Shamanism and Crisis: Seeking Human Identity’, and is open for registration until August 21.
Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and an ancient spiritual practices by indigenous cultures worldwide. Medicine men, natural healers and those that were connected to spirits and power have historical documentation back from at least the last 20,000 to 30,000 years. It is a cross-cultural spiritual path practiced in every continent of the world.
By hosting this conference, Sarawak will gather international and national researchers, academicians, museums employees and local communities who are passionate about this traditional cultural heritage to jointly explore progress in issues and challenges of the most discussed issues related to shamanism, with an in-depth look at issues of the last decades such as globalisation, environmental and ecological degradation, cultural resilience and the universal spiritual wisdom inherent to all indigenous tribes.
As all ancient spiritual practices are rooted in nature, shamanism is the method by which human beings can strengthen that natural connection.
It is hoped that the conference will increase community awareness, especially on the legal impact of preserving the traditional knowledge and intangible cultural heritage of Sarawak on traditional arts of healing from dying out due to social and religion changes.
Sarawak will also gain more in terms of knowledge expansion, networking, professional relationships and collaborations, education outcomes, fundraising and future research capacity plus international profiling of the destination.
To participate, click here to fill out a registration form on Google Forms.
Registration fees are RM600 per person for the whole conference package or RM65 per person on a daily basis without conference kits, meals and tours. It is free entry for university students.
For any enquiries, email to [email protected] (Wong Siew Fui) or [email protected] (Dora Jok).
Alternatively, follow @borneoculturesmuseum and @jabatanmuziumsarawak Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest updates on this conference. — Borneo Post Online
