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 The international “Drum of the World” of the Norwegian Saami remained in Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva, for almost two weeks. Today it started out on its trip through the rural districts of Tuva. Western Ulug-Khem and Chaa-Khol districts will be the first to welcome this symbol of the pagans of the world, as told to ITAR-TASS by Kara-ool Dopchun-ool, the head of the shamanic society “Adyg Eeren” (Bear Spirit”), which invited the drum to Tuva. Until end of July, the drum will visit all the 17 districts of the republic. It is accompanied by a group of Tuvan shamans as well as Dmitri Markov, a disciple of shamanism who came with the drum from Norway.
In every place the sacred drum visits, there are gatherings of believers and the curious.
All of them want to touch the drum to receive blessings and to ask for fulfillment of their wishes. Rituals of purification of sacred places, of unification with nature, rituals of calling on the beneficial spirits and calling down blessings will be performed with the help of the drum in the district centers of the republic for the next two months.
The sacred drum, with bells and a beater, has been traveling through the world since October 2006, with the motto “Stop the War between People and Nature”. The drum started its journey in the capital of Norway, Oslo. The last country where the drum stayed was the Philippines, then the magic instrument of Siberian and Indian shamans came to Russia. Tuva was not selected by chance – the ancient religion has been undergoing a renaissance here for more than 15 years. Kara-ool Dopchun-ool believes that the “Drum of the World” will stimulate interest in the traditional Tuvan shamanism in the world. In his opinion, this drum unites all the pagans of the world, brings blessings to the people, and has a beneficent psychological effect on everybody who touches it.
Tuva became the 248th place of the world that welcomed the “Drum of the World”.
It cannot be ruled out that the drum will stay here until the end of August, because the republic is considered to be “a special region with ancient shamanic traditions”, said Dopchun-ool Currently there are three shamanic societies active in Tuva – “Dungur” (“Drum”), “Adyg Eeren” (Bear Spirit”), and “Tos-Deer” (“Nine Heavens”), having 300 practicing shamans under their aegis.
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Culture 
