A Monaco shamanism conference will take visitors deep into the spiritual traditions of Northern Europe on Monday, September 14, 2026, when the Museum of Anthropology of Monaco hosts scholar Alessandra Orlandini Carcreff for a free public talk titled “Shamanisms and Magic.” The event runs at 6:00 PM CEST (12:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM UK) in the museum’s Louis Barral Room, with a remote-attendance option for anyone unable to travel to the Principality.
Monaco Shamanism Conference Focuses on Finno-Ugric and Nordic Traditions
Rather than a general survey, the talk zeroes in on the Finno-Ugric world and the broader Nordic cultural sphere, examining how ritual practice, mythology, and belief have shaped these communities’ relationship with the natural world over centuries. The framing is explicitly cultural rather than sensational: shamanism is presented not as a set of exotic rituals but as a living worldview, transmitted and preserved by the people who hold it.
Who Is Alessandra Orlandini Carcreff?
The speaker holds a doctorate in Italian Literature and Civilisation and is an associate member of the Germanic and Northern European Worlds research laboratory at the University of Strasbourg. Her research centers on Finno-Ugric traditional cultures, mythology, and shamanic traditions among Northern European peoples, alongside historical work on travel literature about Lapland and Finland from the 15th through 19th centuries. She has authored roughly forty books, essays, and academic articles on the subject and is a regular presence at international conferences on Nordic culture.
Moving Past the Romanticized Image of the Shaman
One of the conference’s stated goals is to move audiences beyond what organizers describe as the often romanticized or exotic popular image of the shaman, replacing it with a grounded historical and cultural understanding of the figures and practices involved. That framing — rigor over spectacle — fits neatly with the kind of respectful, non-appropriative engagement with shamanic tradition that serious practitioners and scholars alike tend to look for.
Free to Attend, In Person or Online
Admission is free, though advance registration is required, and the museum has built in a remote-viewing option so the talk isn’t limited to Monaco’s in-person audience. Reservations and further details are available directly through the Museum of Anthropology of Monaco at [email protected] or by phone at +377 98 98 80 06.
Why This Matters for the Shamanic Community
Northern European and Finno-Ugric shamanic traditions get far less attention in English-language shamanic discourse than Amazonian, Andean, or Siberian lineages, even though they’re just as rich and just as historically documented. A scholarly, museum-hosted conference like this one — open to the public and offered free of charge — is exactly the kind of primary, well-sourced entry point Shaman Portal’s audience is looking for when trying to go beyond surface-level pop-culture treatments of “Nordic shamanism.”
Explore More From Shaman Portal
See more upcoming gatherings in our Shamanic Events listings, or browse recent coverage in Shaman News.
