An anthropological term referring to a person that is recognized within their culture as having a direct personal connection with the spirit world. Shamans are very common in Arctic cultures, and also in South American cultures.
The word comes from the Evenki (Tungus) language in Siberia. It originally meant something along the lines of "E that knows".
It is often said that this word actually comes from Sanskrit, probably a confusion with shramanism. This is not true.