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Abstract

This paper recounts the author’s initiation into shamanism within a Murut village in Sabah, East Malaysia. The rigorous process of acquiring "spirit power" begins with the na rio bathing ritual, followed by an intensive apprenticeship. Under a master shaman, the initiate learns incantations to invoke favorable spirits for healing, deliverance, and communal harmony, eventually meeting a personal spirit guide during a full-moon isolation. Upon the master's death, the apprentice becomes the community's shaman. Reflecting on this experience, Fung advocates accompanying indigenous Asian communities, leveraging their shamanic spiritualities to advance social justice and ecological well-being.

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