plastic shaman
- noun
- /ˈplæstɪk ˈʃɑːmən/
- Offensive
:
falso chamán
- She realized the so-called guru was just another plastic shaman with no real knowledge of the rituals.
Examples
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The self-proclaimed plastic shaman charged people huge sums for supposed healing ceremonies.
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Many indigenous groups warn against those they call plastic shamans exploiting their sacred traditions.
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Many people consider him a plastic shaman for exploiting indigenous cultures.
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The term plastic shamans is often used to criticize cultural appropriation.
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Many indigenous groups warn against those they call plastic shamans who exploit their sacred traditions.
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The self-proclaimed plastic shaman charged people large sums for his misleading healing ceremonies.
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Critics label him a plastic shaman for his claims to spiritual powers without real authority.
How Authentic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning can largely be inferred by combining 'plastic' (used figuratively as artificial/inauthentic) with 'shaman' (a spiritual healer), so a learner who knows both words could plausibly guess 'a fake shaman'. However, the figurative use of 'plastic' and the socio-cultural nuance of cultural appropriation are somewhat specialized and may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Plastic shaman paints a picture of a cheap toy copy of a real healer: plastic means 'fake' or cheap and shaman means a traditional healer. So, it describes someone who 'pretends' to have real spiritual powers and often copies sacred traditions to make money.