Daba: Na Shaman

Synopsis: After more than a quarter century without any form of religious ceremony, the Na, an ethnic group living on the Himalayan plateau, began again to openly practise their religion in the early 1990s. Their priests are called daba. Among the few old shamans who are still living, Dafa Luzo is the most remarkable. As the main character in the film, he is shown looking after his farm and family, as well as performing rituals to expel all unclean spirits and demons and honour the ancestors. His main worry, and his greatest hope, is to make sure his knowledge is safely handed down to the next generation.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Video; Videocassette. VHS. col. 40 min.
Year of production: 1999
Availability: Sale; 2000 sale: £50.00 (+VAT +p&p)
Subjects: Anthropology; Religious studies
Keywords: Himalayas; Na; religious belief and practice; shamans

Name: Royal Anthropological Institute
Contact: Susanne Hammacher (Film Officer)
Email: film@therai.org.uk
Web: https://www.therai.org.uk/film/film-sales External site opens in new window
Phone: 020 7387 0455
Fax: 020 7388 8817
Address: 50 Fitzroy Street
London
W1T 5BT
Notes: The Institute sells more than 250 anthropology and ethnology titles on video and DVD, including some produced by students and staff of the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology. There is also a large library of internationally produced film and video productions from which items may be borrowed within the UK.

This record has been viewed 900 times.