Banuk Shamanism

"My shaman says, 'It is not enough to catch a fish. You must also think like a fish.'"

―Banuk Hunter

Shamans are key members of the Banuk tribe of Horizon Zero Dawn.

Appearance

Aloy wearing the Banuk Shaman face paint.

Shamans generally wear large headpieces made from machine parts, from which long ribbons and cables hang, obscuring the shamans face. The most notable feature, however, is the blue cables that shamans thread through their skin, in an effort to better contain the Blue Light in their bodies.

Despite the frigid environment of Banuk territory, shamans generally wear little to no clothing on their upper body.

Aloy wearing the Banuk Aspirant face paint.

Banuk training to become shamans wear the Banuk Aspirant face paint.

Role

The Banuk believe that each machine has a specific "song" and claim that with the coming of the Derangement, there was a change in these "machine spirits," suggesting that somehow their songs have become increasingly discordant. Shamans are tribal mystics who listen to an interpret the machines' spirits through these songs for the purpose of gaining insight into both the hunt and more general revelations.

A key role of the shaman is divination -- praying to the machine spirits to ask for help to locate organic game or ripe hunting grounds. Shamans are often tasked with tracking machine herds for their weraks. For this reason and for their purported ability to sense the presence of nearby machines, they sometimes escort hunters on expeditions.

Shamans have developed strong crafting abilities over the years and can use machine components to produce useful items, such as colorful dyes for traditional rock paintings, musical instruments, decorations, and even ammunition. Banuk hunters will always offer machine carcasses to the shaman for this purpose as it is taboo in the tribe to loot a kill before offering it to a shaman, who thanks the machine for the gift of a successful hunt.

Typically, there is only one shaman per werak, who also acts as a second-in-command after the chieftain, as well as an advisor to them.

According to Siluk, significant events are taking place within Ban-Ur due to disagreements between hunters and shamans about how to respond to the changes in the world. As a result, many shamans have been exiled from Ban-Ur.

Every year, an organization of shamans known as the Conclave meet at high winter in the frozen caves of the Malmstrom.

Known Shamans

Aujak

Brin

Enjuk

Kamut

Ourea

Siluk

Sylens

Tikuk

Other Shamans

• Kutani

Trivia

Aloy wearing a Banuk Sickness Eater Heavy outfit.

• Shamans sewing blue cables through their skin was an idea recycled from an early concept for a "tech priest".
• The Banuk Sickness Eater outfit was designed to be worn by shamans.

Gallery

Concept Art

Concept art of shamans by Richard Dumont.

Concept art of a shaman by Suzanne Helmigh.

Concept art of a shaman by Suzanne Helmigh.

Wiki Navigation

Banuk
Aratak's Werak	Aratak (chieftain) - Naltuk (shaman) - Ourea (shaman) - Ruatuk - Sekuli - Signutai
Kikuk's Killers	Kikuk - Nulat
Kopilai's Werak	Kopilai (chieftain) - Aujak (shaman) - Inatut
Onnekut's Werak	Onnekut (chieftain) - Nukoni
Scars of the North/ Shattered Hearts/ Nukoni's Arrows	Tatai - Tulemak - Urkai
Signak's Werak	Signak (chieftain) - Ili - Tektuk
White Teeth Werak	White Teeth Chieftain - White Teeth Shaman - Mailen
Exiles	Arnak - Brin
Disputed	Sylens
Other members	Aluki - Anutai - Ardik - Banukai - Enjuk - Ikrie - Kamut - Kimik - Kutani - Laulai - Lauvuk - Naunuk - Opili - Opitak - Rukul - Siluk - Tikuk - Ukan - Yariki