The healing texts of heterogeneous origin are preserved in the manuscripts of the Belarusian Tatars in large numbers. According to written sources, they have been widely used in the past in the Tatar environment. Recent field studies show that the healing texts have not yet completely disappeared from use. These texts have deep roots in the ancient Turkic culture, and also reflect various influences, mainly from the side of Islam, as well as from the Christian-Slavic environment. In general, the healing texts are very interesting sources for analyzing the traditional worldviews of the Belarusian Tatars.
Present-day Iroquois are seeking to preserve traditional healing methods. Members of the False Faces Society routinely perform cleansing rituals using Hodo masks. The spiritual significance and proceedings of the rituals were conveyed by the employees of the Iroquois community center (Longhouse) and the fellow tribesmen gathered around these centers. The participants provided information on the ways of acquiring, crafting, invoking, storage, and honoring the sanctified, animated artifact – the mask. The author of the article confronts the current position of the Onondaga Reserve and the Grand River Reserve Iroquois with historical teachings. The elder generation of Indians has maintained their faith in the mystical power of the rituals, while the secularized new generation approaches them with a strong skepticism.
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