Furries and Shamanism

[Law Primitivo]

Is it just me or does anyone else see te close resemblance of Furry Fandom and Shamanism.
Fursona --> Power Animal
^,..,^ Discuss.

 

[Garek Maxwell]

I think you mean "Weres" and shamanism, which I would say is correct.

Furries are just a superficial treatment. It's like comparing a veneer of expensive wood versus something made of solid expensive wood. There's nothing wrong with one or the other, but you can have more of the same with the veneer than with the solid.

It's a bit like those that plunder cultures for things they like. Just because you like taco's and burritos doesn't mean you understand anything about South/Central American culture, or know anything beyond that. (Which spawns interesting things at times as well, like how restaurants in Northern Mexico will stock spicier foods to serve because Yankees expect that, even though many Mexican dishes aren't that spicy at all.)

So, "Weres", yeah, I can see that. Furries? Yeahhh... don't see it. It's as superficial as putting a bunch of santa (or pagan) crap all over your house and then say you're celebrating Jesus. razz  

[[-Erik-]]

Not in every case.

Some people just wish they were X animal, while others belive they are being protected by a wolf or tiger spirit, which, by some unbelivable coincidence, happens to be their favorite animal.

 

[FiliaFlammae]

It does depend on the individual, I would imagine. A connection to shamanism is much more obvious in the were community, but that doesn't mean that furries can't have a certain animal they truly identify with. While self-proclaimed weres generally don't like to be mistaken for furries, there CAN be some overlap.

I myself am not of that ilk: though my current (and longest-lived) fursona is a lioness and the lion is my favorite animal, there are probably other species out there that would fit me better. I've gone through so many personal characters it's scary.  

[Mr woman]

this is the kind of thing in the fandom that different for everybody. i mean, the fandom doesn't mean the sam thing for very person so yes, some people do find that their fursona represents a power animal or spirit animal they are either close to, see themselves as, or feel is inside them.
but then again theres tons of furries who just use it as nothing more then an rp character to have fun with.

we're all different in the fandom, we're all gonna have different ideas of what it means to be furry.