(from kham, kam, the name for shamans in a number of Turkic languages in southern Siberia), a term in the Russian language that refers to the special ritual activities of the shaman during which he appears to communicate with the spirits. Among most of the Siberian peoples, the kamlanie ritual was as follows: The shaman, who wore a special costume, beat on a tambourine and performed a frenzied dance; he gradually brought himself to a state of ecstasy and showed symptoms of hallucination. It appeared that he was speaking with the spirits and influencing them. The kamlanie ritual was performed to heal the sick. It was also performed during fortune-telling.