Abstract

This thesis explores the way in which Shamanism is being lived within a particular community in the outskirts of Montreal. The focus for the members of this collective is on the Dreamtime and finding commonality through story telling techniques. The many collaborators speak of having chosen this family and committing to living according to the teachings of Okwaho, the Shaman of the community. Many of their stories and perspectives have been included in this thesis as it has been a collaborative project. Shamanism in this thesis is concerned with how members of this family are connected to their environment and to each other. This thesis explores how a sense of family can be created around common interests and based in life style choices. One of the tools used to make sense of these relationships is the Medicine Wheel. The thesis will elaborate on ways in which the Medicine Wheel allows for multiple perspectives to co-exist within a family setting. A rich local vocabulary of relevant terms are discussed throughout this thesis related to the Dreamtime and the Medicine Wheel. The way in which language is used by this community is of particular interest. The author of this thesis has chosen to live Shamanically for the past 8 years as a part of this family and as a student of Okwaho.