User:Deus Nihilitatis/Kam (folklore)

Kam is a shaman in Turkic, Altai and Mongolain folklore. They are seers, healers and magicians. It is believed they have the ability to communicate with the supernatural side of the world. The word Kam is also pronunced as "Gam" or "Ham".

Etymology
The root of the word is (Kam/Gam). It means "dazzlingness/glamorousness". It has connections with the word ''"To be dazzled". The verb "kama-/mak" means 'to close something' ,'to lock something' which might be related to 'soul stealing'. The word "kaman-/mak" means 'suffocating'. In Mongolian 'hamah' means 'to gather' which means a shaman ritual mostly means 'a gathering'. Again in Mongolian, Old Turkic and Tungusic the word root "Kam/Kama" is a root to words that has meanings of  'to gather around/a gathering /to be together with etc.'. In Old Tungusic "Kum"''

means 'soul'. In Mongolian "Keme/Heme" means 'to divine/to foretell'.

In Old Altaic it means 'to walk'. While Gumilev says the words "kam" and "kamlık [:being a kam] " wasn't detected before the AD 7th Century .He says among Altai Turks the word was manifested between 7th and 12th Centuries which he claims that shamanism was adopted to Turkic Culture from outside ; but Özhan Öztürk claims the Japanese word "kami[:god]" has a relationship with the word "Kam".

Public Status of The Kam
A kam can establish communication with spirits. They can heal patients with their prayers and drive away evil spirits with ceremonies. They are also both a magician and a healer. They perform various rituals. When God created the first kam, he planted an eight-branched tree in front of his house. Therefore, every kam plants a tree that represents themselves. This tree is called "Turuğ". In later times, Ayığ Khan sent three kams and also had a tree planted in front of their tents. According to the legend, God Ülgen named the first kam "Kam" by saying, "From now on, your name shall be Kam". It is believed that they are appointed by the Sky God and endowed with superior powers, and they serve as intermediaries between the spirit world and humans, carrying some secret knowledge. The kam, in their special method, can reach a state of ecstasy (trance), where they possess abilities like the ascent of their soul to the skies, descending to the underworld, and wandering there. In this state of ecstasy, they communicate with spirits. Music and rhythm hold great importance in achieving this ecstasy. They dance to lose themselves. They mentally sever their ties with the material world. This is actually a kind of madness. All kams have profound intuition and expansive imagination. They lose themselves in deep ecstasy. It is believed that they travel through the heavens and space, visit the underworld, and see spirits, wandering through all hidden realms.

The kam establishes dominion over spirits and establishes relationships with the deceased, nature spirits, and demons. When needed, the kam can call upon assisting spirits, even if they are dispersed all over the world. They make this call by playing the drum or tambourine. Shamanism predicts an ongoing and unbroken connection among god, nature, and humans. The term "Toyon" (Toyon = "Master, Lord") is used as an adjective for the shamans. In certain Hungarian tribes, the term "Gam" is used to refer to a fortune-teller or oracle. It is also important to mention the concept of "Kamortan," which represents the protective spirits of shamans. According to Mongolian beliefs, Ergil Buga (or Holongoto) established the traditions of the nine degrees of shamanism and withdrew to the Sayan Mountains with 99 male and 99 female shamans under his command. The verb "Kamlamak" or "Kammak" means to practice shamanism and/or perform shamanic rituals. It is believed that the shaman, by playing the drum and tambourine and entering into a state of ecstasy, embarks on journeys to different realms.

Shamanic rituals have different rules in almost every tribe. Communicating with the spirit world, predicting the future, and recounting the far-reaching past of individuals are some situations witnessed in these rituals. For example, "Kamıyak" refers to divination and is associated with shamanic practices. In Turkish culture, religious leaders are sometimes referred to by two names (classified into two categories): "Nom" and "Kam." Some sources mention that the Noms defeated the Kams with their knowledge. There are two types of "Kam":


 * 1) "Akkam" (Aktoyun): A shaman believed to communicate with benevolent spirits.
 * 2) "Karakam" (Karatoyun): A shaman believed to communicate with malevolent spirits.

"Otagan" or "Otağan" (in Mongolian "Utagan" or "Udagan") is a term used in Turkic-Mongolian culture, mostly referring to female shamans. It shares the same root with words like "Ota" (medicine) and "otamak" (to heal with medicine). "Utağan" may be related to the word "Yatağan," which means "uterus." There is also a possibility of connection with the words "Od/Ot" (fire) and "Utmak" (to win), implying healing with fire. It is closely related to the concept of using medicinal herbs (Ota: Herbal Medicine) and also has a connection to "Od," which means fire, suggesting healing with fire. Additionally, the similarity between "Camanbay" (Caman-Bay/Yaman-bay/Jaman-bay), a term used in some Turkic tribes with the meaning of "Kam" (shaman), and the word "Şaman" is also noteworthy.

Erek Khan is a legendary shaman in Turkish and Altai mythology. He is said to have married one of Ülgen's daughters. He is believed to possess extremely powerful and extraordinary abilities.

Old Religion of Turkic People
According to Alâ’ed-Dîn Cüveynî, the ancient Turks gave the name "Tuyuk" to their religious leaders and used the Arabic word "Namus" and the root "Nom" from "En-Nevâmis-i İlâhiye" to refer to their religion. This word, which was also found in Greek as "Numus - Havus," meant "eternal will and sacred things," and in Sanskrit, it was used as the equivalent of the word "God." The Turks referred to their spiritual leaders as "Tüyun/Tuyon" and their soothsayers and magicians as "Kam." They also called their religious books "Nom" and the followers of Tüyuns as "Nomiler." After the adoption of Islam, the Oghuz Turks gave the name "Ozan" to their shamans. The term "Shaman" was a distorted version used by Europeans. Shamans performed three different professions together in society: "medicine," "sorcery," and "prophethood."

The Turkish writer Ziya Gökalp claimed that the correct name for the ancient religion of the Turks, wrongly referred to as "Shamanism" by Europeans, should be "Tuyonizm." According to Ziya Gökalp's views, although the early beliefs of the Turks are perceived as "Naturalism," it actually means "Symbolism," which consists of some symbols and the worship of certain emblems. If we separate religion from sorcery in this belief system that has spread among societies living under different conditions, on one hand, we see a kind of Shamanism consisting of a form of Animism, and on the other hand, a "Tuyonizm" that possesses deities and the system of the universe.

Kamhan
Kamhan is a legendary ruler in Turkish and Altai mythology. He is also referred to as "Kamgan" or "Gamhan." He is the ancestor of Bayındır Khan and is a powerful shaman. In ancient times, Turkish rulers (hans) also held the position of the head shaman in the society. The word "Kam" means shaman in Turkish.

Porhan
Porhan refers to a shaman in Turkish and Altai mythology. They are the most powerful shamans who can communicate with the spirit world. They are the primitive religious leaders who can establish contact with various types of spirits like Kara Çor, Sarı Çor, Ak Çor, and even talk to their leaders. While the word is sometimes connected to the Persian word "Perihan," derived from "Peri" (fairy), it actually comes from Turkish-origin words like Bur Han and Bura Han. It has roots in words like bura/burçın (reindeer), burcu (perfume). In the Tungus and Manchu languages, "Borkan" indicates a colorful appearance, reminiscent of the shaman's colorful garments. According to Abdülkadir İnan, the word Porhan is a different pronunciation of the word "Burhan" (shaman spirit), and under the influence of Persian culture, it transformed into the form "Perihan."

Coşa
Coşa is the state where the shaman loses oneself. It is a state of trance, a trans-state. It is an experience that shamans and saints can have. It severs the ties with the material world and can even be seen as a temporary form of madness. It is induced by music and rhythm. Sometimes, it can also occur through contemplation and focus. It is considered as a divine and metaphysical intoxication. Therefore, in Sufism, the concept of "esri" (intoxication) has a metaphorical meaning. Those who experience ecstasy often express themselves in metaphors and symbols, and their words hold deep meanings. The concept of entering a state of ecstasy is present not only in Shamanistic beliefs but also in many other understandings connected with Sufism. The word "coşa" is the inflected form of the verb "coşmak" and is derived from the same root as the word "coşku" (ecstasy).

Turuğ
Turuğ, in Turkish and Mongolian shamanism, refers to the Shaman Tree or Tree of the Shaman. Mongolians call it "Toruğ." When God created the first shaman, he planted an eight-branched tree in front of his house. Therefore, every shaman plants a tree that represents themselves. This tree is called "Turuğ." The word "Turuğ" means durable, standing firm, and immortal in its literal sense. The words "Tör/Törü/Türe/Törö/Turo/Turu" in Mongolian encompass the meanings of order, structure, and also include concepts related to marriage and childbirth.

Emegey
Emegey is the shaman spirit in Altai shamanism and folk beliefs. It is also referred to as "Emeget" or "Emeket." Emegey takes root in the presence of the shaman and is as small as a finger. One cannot become a shaman without this spirit. It guides the shaman and, when the shaman dies, it emerges in the form of a bird. It maintains the respect and cleanliness of the shaman's grave, growing on or above the tree near the grave. "Emege" or "Emegen" means grandmother or elderly woman. It is also related to the name "Amaka," which is given to protective spirits in Tungus beliefs. Teleğüt Turks call this spirit "Emegen.".

Keltegey
Keltegey is the guardian spirit of the Kam (shaman) in Altai shamanism. It is also known as "Keleni." The shaman sends Keleni to bring back the escaped spirits, but it does not always obey the shaman. According to a legend, they are born from the union of clouds descending from the sky to the earth with human beings. Their symbol is the crescent moon. They have a ridiculous appearance and speak with a stutter. They stammer and are envious. Both of their legs are crippled. The word implies meanings such as durability and growth. In Mongolian, the word "Helhe/Kelkiye" means to communicate.