Spirits of Alcohol and Tobacco in Siberian and Mongolian Shamanism

sasha mittsous
Oct 15
29 min read

Introduction

Across indigenous Siberian and Mongolian shamanic traditions, alcohol and tobacco hold deeply sacred roles. They are far more than mundane stimulants or recreational substances; they are viewed as spiritually potent materials, often regarded as living offerings or even vessels for spirit beings. In animistic cosmologies of these regions, every element of nature has an indwelling spirit, and alcohol and tobacco are no exception[1][2]. Shamans treat them as “spirits for the spirits,” using them to honor, appease, and channel the unseen powers that pervade their world[3][4]. This report delves into how these substances are perceived within shamanic cosmology, their ritual applications, the relationships shamans forge with the spirits of alcohol and tobacco, and variations in practice among Mongolian, Buryat, Tuvan, Evenki, Yakut (Sakha) and related cultures.

Alcohol and Tobacco as Spiritual Entities

In these traditions, alcohol and tobacco themselves are often personified or seen as imbued with spirit. Everything in nature, from rocks and rivers to crafted objects, has an ichchi or ezen (spirit-master) in Siberian and Mongolic belief[2]. It follows that potent substances like liquor and tobacco smoke carry spiritual essence. Early ethnographers noted that Yakut shamans even hung empty tobacco pouches on their ritual coats, “with imaginary tobacco inside, which he offers to the spirits whilst he is wandering in their country”[5]. In other words, the shaman keeps spirit tobacco on hand to feed or trade with spirit-beings in the otherworld. Similarly, among the Buryats and Mongols, distilled mare’s milk (or its surrogate, vodka) is revered as containing life force, a sacred “essence of the herds”, thus making it a powerful spiritual conduit[6].

From a native perspective, distilled alcohol is literally a “spirit” in both name and nature. The Buryat people traditionally regard their home-brewed milk liquor, tarasun, as Soma – likening it to the divine life-giving drink of Vedic lore[7]. It’s considered to house a pure spiritual energy due to its origins in white mare’s milk and the special distillation process used to create it[8]. Mongolian shamans share this reverence: they historically distilled fermented mare’s milk into a potent libation believed to embody the vitality of livestock and the fertility of the earth[9]. Today, Russian style vodka often substitutes the old milk spirits for convenience, but shamans still treat it with the same sacred regard, referring to it as a gift to the ancestors and gods[4][10].

Tobacco, too, is seen as containing a powerful animating spirit, one that can purify, protect, or even intoxicate. The act of producing smoke is itself spiritual: smoke is viewed as a medium carrying prayers to the sky and as sustenance for spirit beings. In many rituals, the rising smoke of tobacco (or other sacred herbs like juniper) is believed to attract helpful spirits or please local deities[11][12]. In essence, tobacco smoke is a sacred food for spirits, and the tobacco plant is respected as a living entity with whom one enters into relationship. For example, Evenki hunters customarily offer pinches of tobacco to the guardian spirit of the hunt (often Nishan) before setting out, treating the tobacco as a respectful offering that enlists spiritual favor[13]. This reflects a widespread understanding: tobacco’s spirit is a potent ally when treated properly, but demands respect.

Indigenous Cosmologies Explaining Their Power

Indigenous theories and cosmologies across these cultures provide frameworks for why alcohol and tobacco have such spiritual influence. A key concept in the Mongolian and Siberian worldview is maintaining harmony and reciprocity with the spirit world[2]. Offerings of alcohol and tobacco are fundamental acts of reciprocity, by giving these precious “foods” to the spirits, humans secure balance and blessings. In Mongolian Tengerism (sky-spirit shamanism), the color white symbolizes purity and goodwill, so white foods and drinks like milk, cream, or white spirits are especially sacred[14][8]. Because fermented mare’s milk (airag/kumys) is white, it was traditionally deemed the purest offering for Father Heaven or local spirits. Buryat shamans long insisted on using tarasun (milk vodka) instead of grain vodka in ceremonies for this reason, tarasun’s whiteness and its origin from a living herd animal gave it inherent ritual purity[10]. “Milk and the colour white were always associated with the pure,” as one source notes of Buryat religion[8]. Thus, the cosmological potency of tarasun or milk-wine comes from its alignment with life, prosperity, and the White spirits of the upper world.

Tobacco’s power, on the other hand, is often linked to the concept of smoke as soul-stuff or breath. In many Siberian cultures, smoke (whether from juniper, sage, or tobacco) is said to raise the shaman’s Windhorse, the psychic wind that empowers spiritual travel[12]. The Windhorse (hiimori in Mongolian) is essentially one’s spiritual vitality or luck, visualized as a horse carrying the soul. Sacred smoke propitiates the spirits and energizes the shaman, “helping to raise the windhorse (psychical power) in journeys”[12]. In this cosmological view, tobacco smoke straddles the material and spirit realms: it is visible and tangible, yet it ascends and vanishes into the air, literally carrying prayers and vital force upward. Fire and smoke are vehicles by which offerings are transformed and delivered to spiritual recipients. We see this in practice when shamans or devotees sprinkle liquor into a fire or the open air, the liquid’s essence is released as steam or smoke for the spirits to consume[15][16].

Another aspect of the indigenous framework is the idea that spirits crave the sensory potency of these substances. Strong drink and pungent smoke elicit a reaction from spirits; they can exhilarate benevolent ancestral spirits or repel malignant forces. For example, Mongolians classify some spirits as “thirsty” or capricious beings that can be appeased with libations of vodka or offerings of aromatic smoke. In one Mongolian invocation, a shaman’s ancestor-spirit was calmed only after “offerings of vodka (which it drank in copious amounts) and sniffing tobacco (which the shaman…dumped down its nose)” were provided[17]. The underlying theory is that the spirit of alcohol/tobacco must be sated so that it, in turn, will work on the shaman’s behalf. If neglected, these spirit forces could cause imbalance or mischief (for instance, a displeased ongon spirit might withhold its healing power until it receives its fill of vodka). Thus, the cosmology portrays alcohol and tobacco as bridges between worlds, their physical effects (intoxication, trance, fragrant smoke) mirror their spiritual effects (inducing altered states, carrying communications, nourishing spirits).

Ritual Uses in Shamanic Practice

Purification and Protection: One of the primary ritual uses of alcohol is to cleanse and sanctify. Shamans across Mongolia, Siberia, and Central Asia treat certain liquors as a kind of holy water. Before any spirit invocation begins, objects, offerings, and even people may be purified with sprinkles or sprays of alcohol. For instance, in a Mongolian shaman’s initiation ceremony observed by Carolyn Crist, the shaman’s assistant dipped ritual objects in vodka to cleanse them, a practice summed up as “spirits for the spirits”[3][4]. The shaman’s mother in that ceremony carefully rubbed vodka on sacred tools, necklaces, a drum, a pipe, even the costume’s ornaments, to ritually purify and empower them[18][19]. This is believed to wash away malevolent influences and make the items acceptable to the ancestral spirits. In a dramatic flourish, the shaman himself often spits or sprays vodka as a blessing: Mongolian shamans will take a mouthful of vodka and spray it in fine droplets over altars, helpers, or ritual weapons. In the same account, the shaman spat vodka onto a red-hot knife blade and licked it, symbolically burning off impurities (and astonishing onlookers)[20]. Among Buryats, sprinkling vodka on live coals or a fire is a common protective offering, the sizzle of alcohol in the fire is said to frighten off evil spirits while simultaneously pleasing the guardian spirits with its aroma[21][15]. Indeed, an observer in Buryatia noted that “vodka serves as holy water: it is sprinkled, dabbed and most of all consumed” during rituals[22]. Participants might dab vodka on their forehead, underarms, and throat as a protective anointing, as described in one healing ceremony[23].

In sum, alcohol is a multifunctional sacred liquid – it purifies ritual space, consecrates tools, and forms a protective barrier between the community and harmful forces.

Mongolian shaman’s mother purifying ceremonial objects with vodka before a séance. In Mongolian and Buryat rituals, alcohol (traditionally distilled mare’s milk) is used like holy water, to cleanse ritual tools, offerings, and the space so that it is sanctified for spirit communication[3][9]. By anointing objects and flicking drops of liquor to the four directions, shamans symbolically wash away impurities and invite benevolent ancestral spirits to enter.

Offerings and Communication: Alcohol and tobacco are quintessential offerings to the spirits. Shamans present them to a wide range of spiritual beings – from mighty nature deities to the souls of ancestors or local land spirits. A common scene at any shamanic gathering in these cultures is the pouring of libations: the shaman (or participants) will pour a small amount of vodka, milk liquor, or kumys into a bowl and then cast it to the wind, earth, or fire while calling out to the spirits. For example, Buryat shamans conducting a community ritual at Lake Baikal were seen sprinkling milk and vodka onto a small fire while murmuring prayers[15]. Mongolians similarly honor the spirits of the land at ovoo cairns by pouring out vodka to the ground and air. (Travelers in Mongolia are traditionally expected to stop at ovoo shrines, piles of stones and wood – and circle them three times, depositing offerings such as vodka, milk, or cigarettes to ensure a safe journey[1][16].) The offerings explicitly invite blessings: in a Buryat horse-sacrifice ceremony (tailgan), villagers chant an invocation after pouring tarasun, entreating the deities, “We pray that we may receive from you a blessing… We have made strong tarasun for you. Let our ulus (villages) be one verst longer. Create cattle in our enclosures… Hover above our foreheads. … Look on us without anger”[24][25]. In this prayer, the very act of preparing strong tarasun is itself an offering meant to please the gods so they will extend the community’s prosperity. Tobacco, while less ubiquitous than alcohol in offerings, is also used to communicate with spirits, often by burning it or smoking it in their honor. In some Mongolian rituals, shamans place a pinch of tobacco or incense on the embers so that the rising smoke carries specific prayers (smoke is thought to convey messages and feed the sky spirits)[11][12]. Evenki and other Siberian hunters might leave tobacco offerings at sacred trees or rocks, acknowledging the local guardian spirit’s presence and seeking permission or luck[26].

Thus, both substances function as mediums of exchange: humans give these valued items to the spirits and in return, the spirits grant guidance, healing, or protection.

Entrancing the Shaman: Both alcohol and tobacco are employed as tools to induce trance or alter consciousness during shamanic ceremonies. Rhythmic drumming and dancing are the primary means to enter an ecstatic state, but intoxicants can amplify the effect[27]. Historically, some Siberian cultures (e.g. Chukchi, Koryak) used hallucinogenic mushrooms for shamanic trance, but many others did not. Among those without access to mushrooms or who chose not to use them, tobacco was a favored substitute. As early as the 18th century, observers of Siberian rituals (such as the explorer G. Müller during the Great Northern Expedition) reported that “the shamans used tobacco, instead of fly-agarics, to excite and stupefy themselves” before ceremonies[28]. Heavy tobacco smoking, sometimes to the point of dizziness – would help the shaman cross the threshold into trance. Likewise, alcohol has been used (and sometimes overused) to facilitate spirit possession. In the Buryat and Mongolian context, shamans often drink alcohol before shamanizing, both to relax their mind and to invite the spirit’s presence[12]. A mild intake can be grounding and courage-giving, whereas a copious intake might propel the shaman into a frenzy that normal consciousness would inhibit. Ethnographer Michael Eliade noted that intoxicants in Siberian shamanism, while not universal, serve to “further enhance” the trance induced by drum rhythms[29]. Today, it’s common to see a shaman pause mid-ritual to have a smoke or a sip, not as a lapse, but as part of the ritual rhythm[12]. The tobacco is often strong (shamans might favor unfiltered cigarettes or pipe tobacco, sometimes even blending in local herbs or cannabis) and is inhaled in deep, ceremonial breaths. Such usage is deliberate: the shaman will state that it’s for the spirits. In fact, Mongolian shamans say that when they light a cigarette during a possession séance, it is their spirit-helper that is smoking, not the person. The sacred smoke fortifies the spirit’s hold and maintains the altered state, while also marking ritual pauses.

Entering Trance and Possession: Not only do these substances help induce trance, they are integrally involved once the shaman is in trance. During a possession ceremony, the inhabiting spirit often craves alcohol or tobacco and will consume them through the shaman’s body. Numerous ethnographic accounts describe spirits that announce their presence by immediately demanding a drink or a smoke. In Buryatia, anthropologist David Stern witnessed a shaman possessed by an ancestral spirit that “chain-smoked and demanded copious amounts of vodka” from his assistants[30]. Likewise, a Mongolian shaman’s possessing spirit might rasp out requests for “araaq!” (liquor) or for a pipe. In one Mongolian exorcism observed by a traveler, the female shaman’s personality was replaced by that of a gruff old male spirit who proceeded to gulp bowls of vodka and snuff huge quantities of powdered tobacco offered to him[17]. The eyewitness was shocked as the shaman’s body “straight-up dumped [snuff] down its nose… and drank [vodka] in copious amounts” to satisfy the entity[31]. Such behavior is not seen as the shaman’s own indulgence; rather, the indwelling spirit is feasting. The belief is that the spirit requires these fortifications to lend it strength while it speaks and works through the shaman. Each cup of vodka or puff of tobacco imbibed by the shaman is really an offering delivered internally to the spirit. Shamans report that their consciousness “steps aside” during possession, allowing the spirit full access to senses like taste and smell[32][33]. Thus, a powerful ally spirit might be known for its love of cigarettes, or an ancestor spirit might only give good advice once suitably “drunk” on ritual liquor.

Cleansing and Healing: Alcohol and tobacco are also applied in healing rites, beyond their consumption. Shamans may spit alcohol on a patient or blow tobacco smoke over them to cleanse spiritual impurities or expel illness. In the Mongol worldview, milk and alcohol have purifying symbolism; for instance, a shaman might take a mouthful of milk or vodka and spritz it over a sick person to wash away dark energies or invading spirits[34]. An example comes from the same Mongolian healing séance: after identifying a malicious spirit afflicting a man, the shaman (possessed by an ancestor) swallowed a large amount of milk and then spat it all over the patient’s back, immediately following with flogging using a sacred whip to drive out the entity[34]. The combination of pure liquid and vigorous smoke or smudge creates a one-two punch to dislodge negativity. Tobacco smoke, being pungent, is thought to disinfect the unseen atmosphere – Siberian shamans sometimes fumigate patients or objects by circling them with smoldering tobacco or juniper, a practice akin to smudging in Native American traditions[35][12]. The healing power of tobacco is such that among some Amazonian shamanic peoples (notably distinct from Siberia but parallel in concept), a saying goes that “tobacco is the shaman’s soul”, emphasizing its role as a spirit medicine. In Siberia, while not vocalized in the same way, the medicinal spirit of tobacco is implicitly respected whenever a shaman uses smoke to “clean” a patient’s body-soul or to seal an area against intrusive spirits.

Shaman Substance Spiritual Relationships

Shamans cultivate a unique relationship with the spirits inherent in alcohol and tobacco. Many consider these substances to be spirit allies in their own right, powerful, but double-edged helpers that must be mastered, not abused. The give-and-take dynamic is evident: shamans feed alcohol/tobacco to their spirits, and in return the spirits lend their power. In practical terms, a shaman often must negotiate their intake. They learn how much vodka their spirit requires to be satisfied but not so much that the shaman’s own health is harmed. For example, Buryat shamans are known to become astonishingly intoxicated during rituals, yet this is culturally sanctioned because it is in service of the spirits. It is said that during traditional Buryat ceremonies “13 half-liter bottles of vodka” might be opened, and by ritual’s end none remain[23]. Everyone present, including the shaman and clients, drinks as part of the ceremony – “a steady procession takes shape to and from the outhouse”, notes one account wryly[36]. The underlying belief is that each participant’s drinking is a form of prayer-offering to specific spirits (often ancestors). During a healing ritual led by shaman Alexei Spasov, observers recount a series of 12 toasts/prayers in honor of ancestral babushka spirits, with each person taking a sip after dedicating it: “‘To the old babushkas,’ Spasov intones, ‘the old babushkas who died long ago, who are our saviors.’… Along the wall, as the women make a faint waggling motion with one hand, a bottle makes the rounds. ‘There are many great babushkas,’ one woman whispers. ‘And each of us has to drink his share and pray to each of them… More sprinkling, more shots. “To the old babushkas… so that those sons and grandsons never get sick.”’[37]. In this communal context, shamans and laypeople alike treat vodka as a sacramental drink to cement their connection with ancestral spirits. The shaman guides the process, ensuring that the spirit of the vodka is properly directed through speech and gesture to its spiritual target, rather than merely allowing people to drink freely for pleasure.

Notably, shamans often assert that outside the ritual context, they do not crave alcohol or tobacco, it is the spirits who want it. One Buryat shaman interviewed in recent years even stressed that he had “never smoked [or] drank in my life” before his shamanic calling; it was only when the spirits chose him that these substances entered his life as ritual tools[38]. This highlights a critical point: the relationship is one of duty and service, not personal indulgence. Shamans must remain in control of the power that alcohol and tobacco embody. They train to hold liquor better than an ordinary person, attributing this tolerance to spiritual protection. Likewise, they learn to handle nicotine’s dizzying effects. In some cases, the shaman’s assisting spirits will actually shield the shaman’s body from harm – an oft-cited example is a shaman who can consume large volumes of vodka during a ceremony and yet remain functional (or suffer no hangover), because it was “the spirit drinking through him.” After the ritual, shamans commonly expel any remaining spirit presence, they might vomit out or ritually spit out the excess alcohol, or cough/belch to expel spirits (as noted in Altaic rituals)[39][40]. This is understood as releasing the spirit of alcohol/tobacco once it has done its job inside the shaman’s body.

At times, the boundary between shaman and substance blurs: shamans may speak of being “ridden” or momentarily possessed by the spirit of vodka or tobacco. A dramatic example is from a Mongolian trance described by National Geographic: the shaman Nergui, after his exhausting ecstatic journey, was trembling and hyperventilating when his wife Chimgee wordlessly offered him a lit cigarette. In full view of the visitors, Nergui – still half in trance – chewed and swallowed the burning cigarette, ashes and all[41]. Immediately afterward, he smoked a second cigarette more normally as he calmed down[42]. Observers interpreted this as either an extraordinary feat or a necessary step to bring him back to ordinary reality. In shamanic understanding, by ingesting the flame and tobacco, the shaman was both grounding himself and symbolically consuming the last of the spirit’s essence that had been within him. It’s a powerful illustration of the shaman’s intimacy with these substances: even fire and nicotine can be taken into the body when one is under spiritual protection. Many shamans also conclude ceremonies by sharing a ritual drink with the participants, often only after first flicking drops to the spirit and touching some to their own forehead in blessing[43]. Only then do they themselves finally drink, which reinforces that every consumption has a spiritual purpose and protocol.

Regional and Cultural Variations

While the core themes above are widespread, different ethnic groups have specific preferences and traditions regarding alcohol and tobacco in shamanism:

· Mongolia (Khalkha Mongols): Mongolian shamans traditionally favor airag (fermented mare’s milk) and arkhi (distilled milk liquor) as their sacred drinks. These represent the life-giving force of livestock and the purity of white foods[9]. In modern practice, store-bought vodka is commonly used, visitors to a shaman are expected to bring vodka as an offering – but it is always handled with ritual etiquette (such as accepting cups with the right hand and flicking the first drops to the sky and earth)[43]. Mongolian ceremonies often begin by offering dairy (milk-tea, curds) and vodka to the fire and ancestors, accompanied by tossing snuff (finely ground tobacco) or smoking a pipe for the spirits[44][45]. The importance of snuff is notable; Mongolians historically carried snuff bottles, and even spirits are said to enjoy a good sniff. During invocations, shamans will pause to inhale from a snuff bottle and pass it around as an offering to the invisible guests. Mongolian shamans also use tobacco smoke for cleansing and inducing trance, as described earlier, they may smoke Chinese tobacco or local herbs in a long pipe. An observer wrote that “shamans frequently drink alcohol before shamanizing and pause at points during the ritual to smoke tobacco” as part of the controlled rhythm of the ceremony[12]. The Mongolian pantheon includes countless ancestral spirits (ongod), and many of these are fond of liquor and smoke. One famous practice is the “calling of the spirits” where the shaman offers a cup of vodka, touching it to his/her forehead tassels and then raising it to the sky before drinking – an act believed to invite the spirit down to partake[46][47]. In sum, Mongolian shamanic tradition holds alcohol and tobacco as standard currencies in all dealings with spirits, be it for thanksgiving, petition, or exorcism.

· Buryats (Siberian Mongols): The Buryats share much with their Mongolian cousins but have a particularly strong ritual around tarasun. As noted, tarasun is a home-distilled milk vodka which they compare to Soma, implying divine origin[7]. Classical Buryat shamanism, especially in pre-Soviet times, prescribed tarasun for all major rites – marriages, childbirth celebrations, seasonal offerings, etc.[7]. Libations of tarasun accompany big ceremonies like the Tailgan (horse sacrifice festival), where the community asks for blessings on pastures and progeny[48]. A translated invocation from a Tailgan shows tarasun presented to the gods in exchange for prosperity (e.g. “From among fat cattle we have chosen out meat for you. We have made strong tarasun for you… send down rain from high heaven to us… Look on us without anger”)[24][25]. The preference for tarasun over regular vodka was so strong that early 20th-century Buryat shamans felt store vodka lacked purity[8]. However, tarasun production was periodically banned for general use (e.g. in 1917 it was prohibited except for religious needs)[49], and today many Buryats use commercial vodka in rituals by necessity[50]. Buryat shamans in the 19th century were observed to consume vast amounts of vodka during séances; one Russian account detailed a shaman and his clients finishing 12 bottles through the course of an evening’s prayers[23]. The vodka is not drunk in a mundane way but integrated into the prayer cycle as described with the babushka toasts. Tobacco among Buryats is often offered in the form of cigarettes or loose tobacco thrown into the fire. At outdoor ceremonies, Buryats might cast bits of tobacco on the ground at the four cardinal directions in addition to sprinkling milk or vodka. Buryatia’s recent shamanic revival (post-1990s) has kept these traditions alive. Visitors attending a Buryat shaman’s ritual will typically see plates of food, bowls of vodka, and cigarettes on the altar as offerings to the spirits[51][21]. Even at sacred sites like Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal, one finds empty vodka bottles and cigarette butts left near prayer-flagged trees and rocks, these are remnants of offerings made by worshippers to the local spirits[16].

· Tuvans: The Tuvan people of Mongolia’s northwest (and adjacent Tuva Republic in Russia) have a shamanic culture closely related to the Mongolian. Tuvans traditionally brewed araka, a milky homebrew similar to Mongolian arkhi, and also fermented yak or mare’s milk (kumys). These were used in ritual offerings to the sky (Tenger) and earth spirits. During the Soviet era, many Tuvan shamans were persecuted or killed, but since the 1990s shamanism has resurged. Contemporary Tuvan shamans, like their Buryat neighbors, frequently use vodka in ceremonies (partly due to availability). Ethnographic sources note that Tuvan shamans distinguish between “white” shamanism (beneficent, working with upper-world spirits) and “black” shamanism (harsher rites dealing with lower spirits). White shamanic rites tend to involve dairy offerings and avoidance of blood, whereas black rites might incorporate animal sacrifice and stronger substances. It’s said that an authentically “white” shaman will only drink milk or kumys in ritual, not vodka, reserving the potent alcohol for “black” shamans or certain intense rites. In practice, however, many Tuvan shamans do imbibe vodka during séances, regardless of category, as a way to strengthen contact. One Tuvan shamanka (Zoya Sedip, per a narrative by Ken Hyder) performed a kamlanie where offerings included flour, butter, money, and cigarettes placed into a fire as she chanted[52]. Tuvans also burn juniper and other herbs, often mixing them with tobacco or pine needles, to create an intoxicating smoke for the spirits. It is common in Tuva for the shaman’s helper to prepare a mixture of tobacco and local intoxicants, for instance, rolling a cigarette laced with cannabis or thyme – which the shaman will smoke at a critical point in the ritual[53]. This blend’s smoke is believed to open the shaman’s inner vision. As in Mongolia, an initiated Tuvan shaman is offered a pipe or cigarette immediately after coming out of trance, both as a grounding tool and as a mark of respect from the community (symbolically “sharing a smoke” with the returned shaman and any lingering spirits).

· Evenki and Eveny (Tungusic peoples): The Evenki, whose language gave us the word “shaman,” have an ancient tradition of offering tobacco to nature spirits. Being nomadic reindeer herders and hunters, they did not traditionally brew alcohol (before Russian influence) but quickly adopted tobacco smoking after contact in the 17th–18th centuries. Evenki shamans used to rely more on drumming and sometimes Amanita muscaria mushrooms in the far north, but in many areas they found tobacco a simpler means to enter trance[28]. Evenki folklore suggests that smoke “marks” a space as sacred, one anthropological note describes how making smoke is a way to signal to spirits and transform the space for communication[54]. Hunters would always carry tobacco for propitiating the spirit master of the forest or the “god of the hunt” (Nishan), dropping tobacco or blowing smoke to ensure a good hunt[13]. Evenki shamans similarly blew smoke on sick children or animals to cleanse them. With Russian colonization, vodka became available and integrated into Evenki rituals, although with some ambivalence, certain Evenki elders saw overuse of vodka as dangerous to the community. Nonetheless, pouring vodka on the earth to share with the ancestors is now a normative practice during Evenki festivals or clan gatherings (often combined with sprinkling fermented reindeer milk if available). The Eveny (northern cousins of the Evenki) have comparable practices; 20^th century ethnographies of the Eveny show shamans smoking pipes of strong tobacco to summon their helper spirits, each puff ritually offered by gesturing with the pipe to the four directions and upward. In sum, for Tungus-speaking peoples, tobacco became a hallucinogen of choice in many areas, and vodka a preferred libation in both joyous and solemn rituals.

· Yakut (Sakha): The Yakut people have a syncretic spiritual culture with deep shamanic roots and later Orthodox Christian influences. Their traditional holy drink is kumys (fermented mare’s milk). The Yakut’s biggest annual ceremony, Yhyakh, is essentially a festival of kumys and summer rebirth. During Yhyakh, a shaman or nowadays a community elder offers kumys to the sky and earth, splashing it to the ground and sky while reciting the algys (prayers)[55]. Even in its modern, semi-secular form, Yhyakh features the opening libation of kumys to Mother Earth and Father Sky, underscoring that the essence of alcohol (in this case mild alcohol from fermentation) is a conduit for life and blessing. Vodka has also made its way into Yakut rituals, especially for honoring Russian-influenced spirits or simply out of practical availability in long winters. Pious Yakuts still “feed the fire spirit” at home by pouring a few drops of liquor or milk into the hearth as an offering[2]. The hearth spirit (yot ichchite) is considered the guardian of the home and must be kept content with daily bits of food and drink. In shamanic healing sessions, Yakut shamans (oiun) used to diagnose spiritual illness and often prescribed offerings of vodka or tobacco to certain spirits to cure the ailment – for instance, if a curse from an underworld spirit was suspected, the shaman might direct the family to pour vodka at a crossroads or to burn tobacco at the grave of an ancestor to appease it. Interestingly, Yakut shamans’ costumes sometimes included small bags of tobacco as part of their gear (similar to other Siberians), signifying readiness to offer smoke in any realm[5]. Even the cosmology of Yakutian creation myth acknowledges alcohol: there are tales of heroic blacksmiths (close allies of shamans in Yakut lore) who received “magic kumys” from the gods, enabling them to travel to the heavens. This reflects the idea that alcohol, in moderate ritual use, was seen as a source of spiritual inspiration and vitality bestown by the creator deities (such as Aiyy Toyon, the Yakut sky-father). Yakut shamans, like Buryats, were known to become inebriated during certain rites, but the community understood it as a controlled sacred state, not mere drunkenness.

· Other Related Cultures: Many other indigenous groups of the Siberian region have analogous practices. The Even (Lamuts), Dolgan, Nivkh, Nanai, and Selkup, among others, all incorporated tobacco after contact; it often replaced older incense-like substances. The Altai Turks and Khakas (south Siberia) share the Mongol habit of offering milk or araka to their spirits of nature, and they too will present tobacco at sacred springs or groves. In the Altai, one custom is to tie a bit of tobacco in a piece of cloth to a tree (along with the more famous ribbons) as a long-term offering to the spirit of that place. Chukchi and Koryak shamans in the far northeast, though famed for using amanita mushrooms, in the 20th century also took up offering tobacco and alcohol, a Chukchi reindeer herder might pour a capful of vodka on the tundra for the earth spirits before taking a drink himself. It’s worth noting that Islamic influence in Central Asia tempered the use of alcohol among Kazakhs, Kyrgyzs, and others, but even there, syncretic practices saw kumys and vodka given sub-rosa in shamanic contexts despite Islam’s ban on alcohol. Across the board, these substances have been adapted to each culture’s spiritual logic: what matters is not the intoxication, but the offering and connection it facilitates.

Ethnographic Vignettes: Spirits Appearing in Ritual

Ethnographic accounts vividly illustrate the presence of alcohol and tobacco spirits in shamanic rituals. We provide a few representative vignettes:

· Mongolian Séance (Carolyn Crist, 2015): Thirty curious travelers sat packed in a ger (yurt) near Ulaanbaatar to witness a shamanic ceremony[56]. The shaman’s elderly mother tended a low altar and meticulously cleansed every ceremonial item with vodka – she dipped beads, wooden carvings, the shaman’s pipe, and even the ornate strips on his coat into a vodka-filled bowl[3][19]. “Spirits for the spirits,” a professor quipped as the strong smell of vodka filled the tent[57]. When the trance began, the shaman donned his black-tasseled headdress and beat his drum until a spirit took hold. Immediately, the shaman’s mother presented a tray with a long pipe, a tobacco pouch, and a vodka bottle[58]. The possessing spirit, said to be his great-grandfather’s soul – first drank a bowl of vodka, wetting the fringes of the shaman’s veil, and then took the pipe. As the spirit spoke through the shaman in a gravelly voice, he intermittently puffed the pipe and sipped vodka between consultations with attendees[59][60]. Each time a new client approached for advice, the shaman would cleanse his staff by dipping it in vodka before using it to bless the person[61]. The atmosphere was thick with smoke and the biting scent of alcoho, an olfactory sign that spirits were being fed and were actively present.

· Buryat Healing Ritual (Michael Wines, 1998): In a village near Ulan-Ude, a Buryat shaman led a night-long healing ceremony for a troubled family[51]. Twelve prayers had to be offered, to ancestral grandmothers (babushkas), to spirits of earth and sky, to local gods. Before them on the floor burned a pot of aromatic herbs (brotherwort), adding to the haze of tobacco and sage in the room[21]. Laid out nearby were nine bottles of vodka, seven of one brand (Russkaya) and two homemade, all to be finished by ritual’s end[62]. The shaman began each prayer by pouring vodka into a wooden bowl, flicking drops onto the glowing embers (each hiss of alcohol in fire carrying the prayer upward), then taking a sip[21]. He passed the bowl around; each participant dabbed vodka on themselves and drank in turn[23]. “To the old babushkas who died long ago, who are our saviors,” the shaman intoned, invoking the ancestor-healers[37]. The women in the room gently waved their hands as if beckoning the spirits, while murmuring assent and continuing to sip and sprinkle vodka. As the ritual intensified, the cycle of “More brotherwort, more Russkaya. More sprinkling, more shots,” accelerated[63]. The shaman became flush with alcohol, yet remained focused, chanting and occasionally letting out a high-pitched cry to indicate a spirit’s arrival. By dawn, all bottles were empty – the spirits, it was said, had drank their fill through the bodies of the participants. Everyone present was quite drunk, including the shaman, but this state was considered a sign that the babushka spirits were propitiated and had blessed the family. The next day, the family completed the healing by burning some tobacco at the household shrine and giving thanks to the spirits for accepting their offerings.

· Buryat Public Festival (David Stern, 2012): On the shore of Lake Baikal, three Buryat shamans in vibrant robes convened a modest ceremony to pray for a good harvest and communal unity[15]. There were no dramatic trances this time – instead it was a straightforward offering rite. The shamans murmured prayers almost imperceptibly and sprinkled milk and vodka into a small campfire as about two dozen local Buryats observed in reverent silence[15]. The morning air was cool, and as the spirits were invoked, a breeze carried the sizzling scent of vodka from the fire across the gathering. Each shaman took a turn to step up, bow, and pour a few drops of tarasun (fermented milk vodka) from a cup onto the earth, then sip from the cup[64]. An anthropologist present (himself a shaman) explained that this simple act was a quiet but profound form of political and spiritual self-determination – after decades of Soviet suppression, Buryats were once again honoring their land and ancestors with their traditional drink[65][64]. Indeed, Azhunov, the anthropologist-shaman, made a point to tip his tarasun cup to the ground for the spirits before drinking, saying “Moscow is afraid of authentic shamans like us” while implying that real shamanism meant pouring tarasun, not factory vodka, to Mother Earth[66]. The ceremony ended without fanfare: the remaining vodka was shared among the attendees in communion, and the group dispersed, leaving only the faint fragrance of smoke and dairy in the sacred spot.

· Evenki Campfire Invocation (oral history): An Evenki elder described how, in his youth, he accompanied his grandfather, a shaman, on a hunting trip. On the first evening, they made camp beneath cedar trees. The grandfather took out his tobacco pouch and sprinkled tobacco on the ground, saying a simple prayer to the forest spirit to watch over their camp. Then he lit his pipe, took several puffs, and blew the smoke in four directions. The boy recalls feeling a sudden hush in the forest, as if an unseen presence had drawn near. The next day, before stalking an elk, the shaman grandfather told the boy to spit a little vodka (from a flask) onto the snow and to hang a tuft of tobacco in a piece of cloth on a nearby branch. This was an offering to the master-spirit of the elk so that its soul would not resent them. The hunt was successful, and that evening the grandfather performed a short thanksgiving rite: he poured vodka onto the fire in honor of Bugady Enintyn (the Evenki “Grandfather Fire” spirit) and gave thanks to the elk’s spirit by burning a pinch of its fur mixed with tobacco. The elder telling the story emphasized that without those offerings, the spirits would not permit a good hunt, the vodka and tobacco were essential currencies for spiritual permission and forgiveness.

These snapshots demonstrate that whether in dramatic trance rituals or in daily devotions, the presence of alcohol and tobacco is palpable. One literally sees and smells the spiritual activity: the air turns heady with vodka fumes and tobacco smoke, an ambiance that signals a connection between worlds.

Invocations and Chants Involving Alcohol/Tobacco Spirits

Throughout the lore and liturgy of these shamanic traditions, one finds references to alcohol and tobacco as spirit-endowed. Below are two authentic excerpts that highlight their role in shamanic prayer and invocation:

Buryat Invocation at a Tailgan (Horse Sacrifice Ceremony): “We pray that we may receive from You a blessing. From among fat cattle we have chosen out meat for You. We have made strong tarasun for You. Let our ulus (villages) be one verst longer. Create cattle in our enclosures; under our blankets create a son; send down rain from high heaven to us; cause much grass to grow… Hover above our foreheads. … Look on us without anger…”[24][25].– Translated by Jeremiah Curtin (1909)In this traditional prayer, the community explicitly offers tarasun (sacred liquor) to the deities as part of a bargain for prosperity and fertility. The drink is “for You” – implying the gods’ enjoyment of its essence – and its strength is emphasized, suggesting that a potent brew carries more spiritual weight. The supplicants enumerate blessings (rain, growth, offspring) that they hope the spirits will grant in return for the feast and strong drink provided.

Buryat Healing Toasts (1990s): “To the old babushkas,” Spasov intones, “the old babushkas who died long ago, who are our saviors.” He passes the vodka bowl. Mrs. Montusova dabs a bit under each arm and on her throat, then sips. Along the wall, as the women wag a hand in homage, a bottle makes the rounds. “There are many great babushkas,” one woman whispers. “And each of us has to drink his share and pray to each of them….” More brotherwort on the fire, more Russkaya [vodka] in the bowl. More sprinkling, more shots. “To the old babushkas… so that those sons and grandsons never get sick.”[37].–

As witnessed by Michael Wines (New York Times, 1998)This modern ethnographic excerpt shows a shaman-led invocation where vodka is the medium of prayer to ancestral spirits (the “old grandmothers”). The act of every person drinking “his share” is integral to the prayer – imbibing vodka becomes an act of devotion. Sprinkling the alcohol on the fire and one’s body sanctifies the space and participants. Notably, the cycle of repeated toasts (“more sprinkling, more shots”) illustrates how the boundary between consuming alcohol and praying is erased; drinking is praying, when done in this ritualized, collective manner, directed toward the beloved ancestor spirits.

In these excerpts, we see how alcohol is addressed and utilized in the very structure of prayers. Although tobacco does not typically appear as a spoken addressee in surviving texts (since it’s often offered silently or within the shaman’s song), its presence is felt in ritual actions. For instance, a shaman’s song to the fire might include lines about smoke: e.g. a Yakut algysh might praise the “fragrant smoke that carries our words”, an indirect homage to tobacco/juniper smoke as a messenger. Indigenous chants often encode tobacco in metaphor, calling it “sacred herb” or “cloud maker” that helps the shaman “ascend with the smoke”. Unfortunately, direct transcriptions of such lines are rare in published sources, but the practice is abundantly attested by observers who note the shaman pausing to inhale and blow out smoke during chants[12].

Conclusion

In the shamanic traditions of Siberia and Mongolia, alcohol and tobacco bridge the human and spirit realms. They are animistic entities and offerings at once, physical substances handled with spiritual intent. Indigenous cosmologies portray them as containing the essence of life (in the case of milk-derived alcohol) and a vehicle of breath and communication (in the case of tobacco). Through ritual use, these substances become sacraments: vodka is sprinkled like holy water, kumys is libated to honor the sky, cigarettes are lit to invite ancestral souls, and smoke is blown to cleanse and connect. Shamans form relationships with the “spirits” of alcohol and tobacco, learning to harness their power for trance and healing while appeasing the spirit-beings who respond to these offerings. Regionally, we see nuanced differences, Buryats revere milky tarasun, Yakuts celebrate kumys, Mongols offer airag and vodka liberally, and Evenki carry tobacco as a daily spiritual tool, yet the underlying pattern is remarkably consistent. Alcohol and tobacco are two of the shaman’s most trusted allies: whether to placate a wild mountain spirit with a pinch of tobacco, to call an ancestor into one’s body with a cup of vodka, or to purify a sick child with smoke and spirits, these potent substances are indispensable in the shamanic toolkit. They exemplify the core principle of shamanism in this region, maintaining balance and communication with the spiritual world through respectful exchange. As long as shamans drum and chant on the steppes and in the taiga, it is likely they will also be flicking vodka to the skies and exhaling tobacco smoke into the air, continuing a dialogue with the unseen that stretches back to time immemorial.

Sources: Academic and ethnographic works, including field observations and indigenous accounts, have informed this overview. Key references include Crist (2015) on Mongolian ceremonies[3][9], Balzer and Everyculture summaries on Yakut beliefs[2][55], historical data on Buryat tarasun and rituals by Fridman and Curtin[7][10], National Geographic’s reportage on shamanic revivals[30][15], and various ethnographies compiled on Facts&Details and FaceMusic that document the use of vodka as sacred medium and tobacco as ritual smoke[23][12]. These illustrate a consistent narrative of alcohol and tobacco as fundamental to Siberian and Central Asian shamanic practice, persisting through suppression and revival up to the present day. The direct quotes and examples provided underscore the depth of integration of these “spirits” into the spiritual life of the people.

[1] [12] [26] [35] [39] [40] Shamanism (Tengerism) in Mongolia in English

http://www.face-music.ch/bi_bid/historyoftengerism.html

[2] [55] Religion and expressive culture - Yakut

https://www.everyculture.com/Russia-Eurasia-China/Yakut-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html

[3] [4] [6] [9] [18] [19] [20] [46] [47] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] Spirits for the Spirits: Vodka's Role in a Mongolian Shaman Ceremony - Tales of the Cocktail Foundation