Shamanism Exists because People Crave Certainty

KOMPAS/NASRULLAH NARA

A screenshot from the Youtube page depicts medical activities by traditional healers in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java. This page was monitored, Thursday (11/2/2021).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Life is becoming more modern and technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated. However, the declaration of the Indonesian Shamans Association (Perdunu) in Banyuwangi, East Java, on Feb. 3 shows that dukun (shamans) still exist in society. Even though dukun have a negative stigma, and the community is getting more educated and religious, people\'s interest in dukun remains.

"Shamans are still functioning because not all problems in society can be explained by modern scientific synthesis," said an anthropologist of religion and kinship at the Department of Anthropology, University of Indonesia, Imam Ardhianto, in Jakarta, on Wednesday (10/2/2021).

One of the types of dukun frequented by many people are those that treat illnesses. Limited access to and a lack of trust in medical personnel have caused some people to rely on traditional healers.

Taufiq Pasiak, an expert in neuroscience and social behavior and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Jakarta’s Veterans’ National Development University (UPN), added that people’s trust in dukun was something humane. Before rationality developed as it exists today, mankind developed from mystical thought.

When science or religion is deemed incapable of providing certainty, shamanism or supernatural thinking become sources of solace.

When they face problems that lead to uncertainty, humans are driven to seek certainty in anything or anyone. When science or religion is deemed incapable of providing certainty, shamanism or supernatural thinking become sources of solace.

“[Whether it is religiously] right or wrong can be discussed later. The important thing is [that people] find certainty so as not to trigger anxiety," he said. The certainty that dukun offer is immediate, whereas certainty in religion is something in the future through the concept of an afterlife or the existence of life after death.

Taufiq disagrees that people who believe in shamanism – and labeled as irrational – are more susceptible to fake news, anti-science thought or conspiracy theories. Even educated people who are considered rational can be deceived by hoaxes. "Shamanism provides certainty. [It is] not a matter of right or wrong. Hoaxes or conspiracy theories only answer human curiosity; they do not provide certainty,” he said.

Controversy

However, some people’s trust in dukun is opposed by other groups. Some religious groups believe shamanism can destroy faith, while the scientific community considers shamanism to be irrational.

KOMPAS/NASRULLAH NARA

Screenshot from Youtube depicting medical activities by a shaman in Blitar, East Java. This page was monitored on Thursday (11/2/2021).

In the logic of science, shamanism is irrational. However, in the logic and belief systems held by some communities or local residents, shamanism is also rational. "Every culture and belief system has its own rationality," said Imam.

This requires the humility of religious and scientific groups so as not to impose their views and beliefs on other groups.

Imam said that the emergence of the shaman organization was a response to the culturally negative views of them. The presence of shamans in public spaces denies the soul of shamanism, which is usually hidden or vague.

On the other hand, the rejection of shamanism by several groups indicates the influence of conservatism in a society that has diverse values and beliefs. Such responses cannot be separated from the public discourse between groups promoting local identities that accept various belief systems and groups wishing to set standards of belief according to certain interpretations.

Taufiq added that the presence of Perdunu was a basic criticism of scientists and religious leaders. Scientists had not actually worked optimally, he said, to provide solutions to various problems faced by society. As for religious leaders, people’s strong belief in shamanism shows that the religious preaching has not met expectations. (MZW)

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko)