1/27/2026 - Wek 3 / Meeting 5: Paleolithic / Shamanic Dances

 

 


 

 Language and Spiritual Cutulture in Old Stone Age

 

 

Timetable 

 

First Ancestors 

  • Our first ancestors lived 7 million years ago
  • Bipedal, upright walking 
  • Ability to walk emerged long before humankind developed big brains.
  • Even though they walked they were still tree climbers.
  • No hominins has been found during this period yet.

---------------------- 

Homonins

  • Hominins continued to develop 
  • 4 million years ago grasping feet were lost.
  • Multiple hominin species lived simultaneously. 
  • They may have met

------------

Homo habilis

  • 3 million years ago hominins lived in Southern Africa.
  • Tools allowed hominins to adapt to new environments.
  • The first known stone tools were produced in Ethiopia.
  • The tools may have been produced by Homo habilis.
  • The Homo habilis is a member of our own genus group, the genus Homo

-------------------

Homo erectus 

  • 2 million years ago Homo erectus became the first hominin to migrate out of Africa.
  • Homo erectus had human-like traits such as: 
  • large brains
  • dexterous fingers
  • long legs

--------------------

Brain Growth 

  • 800,000 years ago advances in cooking was fueling further brain growth.

--------------------

Homo sapiens 

  • Our own species Homo sapiens emerged in Africa 200,000 years ago.
  • They lived alongside and interbred with other hominin species.
  • Homo sapiens were highly adaptable, quickly filing nearly every geographic niche.
  • Other hominins went extinct.
  • Climate pressures and competition with Homo sapiens may have wiped them out.
  • Although these ancient hominins are now extinct, they remain our closest relatives on the family tree.
Paleolithic /  5000 - 4001
  • The Egyptian calendar, regulated by sun and moon: 300 days, 12 months of 30 days each.
  • Earliest cities in Mesopotamia (carbon-tested dated).
4000 - 3501
 
  • End of Paleolithic along Mediterranean coastline
 
 
 -------------
 
Unit: Paleolithic
 
Theme:  Shamanic Dances

I
 
Introduction
 
The Paleolithic, also called the Old Stone Age, is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehistoric technology.  Paleolithic Period is the earliest period of human development, which lasted until approx 8000 BC. The Paleolithic Period is divided into three eras.  
 
The Lower Paleolithic (traditionally divided into the Oldowan Stage (about 2.6 million to 1 million years ago), which saw the development of pebble (chopping) tools, and the Acheulean Stage (1.7–1.5 million years ago to about 250,000–200,000 years ago), in which more sophisticated hand axes and cleaving tools emerged). During the Lower Paleolithic  simple pebble tools and crude stone choppers were made by the earliest humans.  
 
Then, the Middle Paleolithic (300,000 to 30,000 years ago), followed recording the appearance of the more advanced tool-making technologies. Whether the earliest control of fire by hominins dates to the Lower or to the Middle Paleolithic remains an open question.  
 
 The Upper Paleolithic (50,000 – 12000 BC) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. According to some theories coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity [abstract thinking, planning depth, exploitation of large game, blade technologies and symbolic behavior (e.g. art and ornamentation, music and dance), among others. Indications for dancing activities in prehistoric Europe appeared as early as modern humans, at the start of the Upper Palaeolithic era (40,000 BC).
 
 
 
The Löwenmensch figurine, also called the Lion-man of Hohlenstein-Stadel, is a prehistoric ivory sculpture discovered in Hohlenstein-Stadel, a German cave, in 1939.It is 40,000 to 35,000 years old.

















(17:08 - 19:06)
 
 Thrifty Gene Hypothesis



In this video Dr. Mindy Pelz talks about the Thrifty Gene hypothesis, which is based on the idea that primitive men and women were more equipped to survive than we are in modern times because this gene was activated. 
 

 Dr. Mindy H. Pelz, D.C is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, nutrition and functional health expert who has spent more than two decades helping thousands of people successfully reclaim their health. She is a recognized leader in the alternative health field and a pioneer in the fasting movement

 
II

Learning Objectives
 
Understand the main characteristics of the Paleolithic period 
Explain the importance of cave-art for the study of human history
Gain an awareness of the inner, outer and secondary aspect of the dancers in non-literate societies
Experience the creation of a ritual dance in the subjunctive

III

Main Lesson
 
1



 Question 1

After watching this video, mention the main characteristics of the paleolithic period. 


2


CAVE ART

 

Question 2

Why is cave-art important for the study of human history?


3


GROUP WORK


BOOK LINK: 

History of Dance (Second Edition) by Gayle Kassing 

Read from pages 20 - 23.


Question 3

What are the inner, outer and secondary aspects of the dancer in non-literate societies?

 

4


The Shaman


Question 4
 
According to Laura Kendall, what is a shaman? 


5

 (A)

(2:41 - 9:20)

Shamanic Healing with Michael Harner - The Foundation for Shamanic Studies

https://youtu.be/fbGbp-QEjCk?si=F0DnpEf_LO7KPUTU

 Question 5

Video A: What are the ethics of shamanism according to Michael Harner? What does he mean by "spiritual democracy"?

 

 (B)


 
(00:00 - 14:50 - 17:00) 

Question 6

Video B: Which are the 3 experiences mentioned by Harner? What is the purpose of going out of time?


 6

Ethical Considerations in Shamanic Healing By Susan Mokelke, J.D. 

 https://www.shamanism.org/ethical-considerations-in-shamanic-healing/

 

Question 7

According to this article, what is the main purpose of the shaman?

 

 

7 

Activity

 Davidji is a globally recognized mindbody health & wellness expert, mindful performance trainer, meditation teacher & author. He is credited with creating the 21-day meditation process, which spawned hundreds of 21-day meditation experiences & challenges around the world.


(00:00 - 3:55)

Question 8

Describe your experience when doing the above mindful meditation.


8

Paleo Indians of North America



(00:00 - 7:05)

Question 9

Who were the paleo-Indians in Colorado? 


10

 The Fashion of Rituality by Tomas Gonzalez Perez

 Question 10

In number 9, paragraph 4, what does Gonzalez Perez mean by "rituality already undergoes a process of whitening"?

 

11

The Utes

 
(min 2:13 - 5:20)

Question 11

Describe the bear dance according to Alden Naranjo. What was its purpose?


------------------------ 


IV

 

A Note to Remember

 The motions used in their dances were basic, everyday movements, which were simple enough that everyone could join in. Men at the time also used dance as a way to prepare for battle. They would perform war dances to build teamwork and work themselves up for battles. The shaman's roll was to mediate by communicating  with the spirits on behalf of the community, including the spirits of the deceased. to alleviate unrest, unsettled issues, and to deliver gifts to the spirits. So far we have seen the bison, the lion and today the deer as a part animal of a human. The shaman, as the zoomorphic human, transforms into an animal by means of casting spells, use the animal spirit to help.



V

 Case Studies

 

Book Link:

Dance Appreciation by Julie Dawn Loring

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dance_Appreciation/LyP_DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=dancers+imitate+animal+movement&pg=PT21&printsec=frontcover

Dance as Imitation

(Page 11)

Question 12

Who were the dancers imitating and why?

 

Book link:

 Yaqui Myths and Legends

Pages 9 - 11 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Yaqui_Myths_and_Legends/LZkwEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Yaqui&printsec=frontcover

Question 13

Why are the Yaqui people and important reference when trying to understand Paleo-Indians?

 

Videos 

1

Shamanic Deer Dance

 

 2

Deer Dance / Ballet Folklorico



Question 14

What is your overall response to these videos, specifically to the role of the shaman in the Paleolithic? Compare and contrast both dance performances.

 

VI


ACTIVITY 1

 




Question 2

What animal did you identify with during the meditation?

ACTIVITY 2

Create a shamanic dance. Choose 8 moves that represent an animal of your choice. Perform the dance with intention.  



VII
 
Students' Work
 

 
VIII

JOURNALING


Write a brief reflection about your experience in class today and post it on Discussion Board. Find two posts you would like to interact with. 
 
 
IX

Glossary

1. sonic driving

2. Type one experiences or simple experiences:

  • Compression of time
  • Journey into the past
  • Journey into the after death-future

3.  Type two experiences or simultaneous experiences:

  • Dream time & ordinary time (example: Australian Aborigines)
  • Merging (example: All shamans)

4. Type three experiences:

  • Static cosmic union (Done with sonic driving) 

5. Shamanic state of consciousness


X

Sources

Korisettar, Ravi (1998). Early Human Behaviour in Global Context. Routledge.

McBrearty, Sally; Brooks, Allison (2000). "The revolution that wasn't: a new interpretation of the origin of modern human behavior". Journal of Human Evolution. 39 (5): 453–563.

Henshilwood, Christopher; Marean, Curtis (2003). "The Origin of Modern Human Behavior: Critique of the Models and Their Test Implications". Current Anthropology. 44 (5): 627–651.

Hill, Kim; et al. (2009). "The Emergence of Human Uniqueness: Characters Underlying Behavioral Modernity". Evolutionary Anthropology. 18 (5): 187–200. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.469.5702.

Trinu Ojamaa. THE SHAMAN AS THE ZOOMORPHIC HUMAN. https://www.folklore.ee/folklore/vol4/triinu.htm

 

XI

Students' Work

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