Angakok

/ˈɑŋɡəkɑk/ noun

Definition

A shaman or medicine man among Greenlandic Inuit and other Arctic peoples who performs healing rituals and communicates with the spirit world.

Etymology

From Greenlandic Kalaallisut 'angakkuq,' borrowed from Inuit languages. The word reflects the spiritual leadership role in Arctic indigenous cultures where shamans served as healers and spiritual guides.

Kelly Says

Angakoks practiced a form of medicine that combined psychology, herbal knowledge, and spiritual ceremony—modern research shows that the psychological aspects of their healing actually worked on pain and stress.

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