Yes, the direct translation of Chamán is Shaman in English, but I don’t consider myself a Shaman. The name was given to me as a nickname by my mother and close family members still call me this today (well that and other variations like Chamanita, Chamanin etc). My mom wrote this little blurb for me about it, and I’m grateful to her for sharing her reasons.
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Chamán – by Cecilia Rodriguez
My daughter was a surprise to me. I was in the middle of a bitter separation and my pregnancy was soul-shattering. I was to become the single mother of three children and the thought filled me with fear. I braced myself and ruminated about what looked to be a difficult future for myself and my children. I went on with the pregnancy. I was ecstatic when she was born and I found out she was a girl.
I wanted a different world for her. I didn’t want her to suffer the racism and the burden of patriarchy I suffered. I wanted a world for her where she could be her true self. She was the reason my relationship with her father healed. She provided a needed respite from the difficult, consuming work I was doing at the time.
I don’t really remember why we started calling her Chamán. Mexicans do that. They give their children nicknames and then they can’t remember the how or why behind the nicknames. Then the nicknames become a tradition and the entire family uses it.
Perhaps it was the context of her birth, or perhaps it was just her, but she was magical and healing for my life. She is a very loving, curious, and enthusiastic person and she lights up the room when she is present. She is a medicine child, and she now manifests that medicine in her music.
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Aww shucks, thanks Mama. I’m really grateful for this life you have given me and can only hope to truly live beyond our ancestors imaginations of what an amazing and fulfilling life can be. You have given me a powerful foundation to build on and I thank you with all my heart!