The evolution of the computer Shaman has indeed broadened the definition of a Shaman . The concept of Shamanhood, too, is broader than the concept of its original definition and is now much more broader.However , it should be mentioned at the outset that there is a distinction between a Shaman, a herberlist, a magician, a psychic,a priest, an iman and a witch doctor. A shaman it seems to me is an individual with powers of self confidence and personal esteem  and commands much reverence and awe among members of his community .This is because the Shaman is born within a  family and culture with his role hereditary and ascribed at birth .Through the learned values of his culture and family, the Shaman emerges and acquires skills that are perceived by members of his community as scientific dogma and  obligatory on him to perform .In most cases the traditional Shaman comes from a caste of Shamans whose history and ancestry of Shamanhood is known far and wide .In very rare situations does the traditional Shaman come from other clans of non Shamanic ancestry.
 The traditional Shaman is well versed in ancient wisdom and is not the least comparable to the computer Shaman .Unlike the computer Shaman , the traditional Shaman's advent into this world is neither accidental nor coincidental . The births of some traditional Shamans may  even be prophesied well before their birth . The prophecy may say, for example , that the particular Shaman will be a legendary , misterious , or one who performs miracles .Very often there are elderly patriachs of wisdom in the community who are  are not Shamans but  naturally gifted with psychic powers . Occaisonally such patriachs may well before hand tell the community of the future birth of another unique Shaman at a certain period ,and may even describe the sex , place or circumstances surrounding the birth.The computer Shaman is a modern coinage and is not characterised by birth or social origin .The combined grandeur of the magician, the priest, the herberlist, and the witch doctor are small compared to that of a single Shaman .The traditional Shaman is attributed with a lot of supernatural skills beyound the level of the ordinary human capability. From childhood the traditional Shaman is versed in the recitation of rituals incantations,verses of wisdom and mystery, traditional proverbs,methaphores and poems . With a profound power of language, he foretells future mishaps such as sicknesses death or accidents and can also priscribe remedies to either the forestall or mitigate its harmful effects.
 The Shaman even at the early stages of childhood  is one who has mastered the methods of  telephathy, telekinesis and clairvoyance.As a young adolescent the Shaman's behaviour is always different from his contemporaries : he excels in any competitions he competes amongst his peers . His morality and spirituality are always highly respected by the community's elderly men of wisdom who know the reason for the abnormal behaviour as a reponse to a supernatural call . However, the Shaman as a child, doesn't take full social responsibility of his social duties till he reaches the ripe age of full Shamanhood normally decided by his masters.This is a stage at which he passes a series of initiation tests in performing parapsychological techniques . At post adolescence the erstwhile fledging shaman now becomes a full fledged Shaman . He will now posses ocult skills and knowledge that no one outside the Shaman lineage is privy to . Every performance, incantation or ritual by the Shaman is steeped in deep secret and not discussed even to a spouse who may even be a Samanka ( female shaman ) or to his best friend . Thus ; the extreme questioning of the shaman on his trade is not only seen as a threat by the Shaman but seen as both a challenge and an act of defiance.
  The traditional Shaman in order to fulfill his social obligation must go into a trance and journey outside his body to another world where he confers with spirits there and gets them do his  bidding.  This transformation is similar to the ascension of the soul as described in religions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Bahaism.  The Shaman has the ability to journey into the past as well as into the future.  During the course of the journey of the soul he may ask the spirits for information about the future or any advice pertaining to some dilemma facing the tribe.  During such spiritual journeys of the Shaman, the community in his milieu is aware of only few signs --the Shaman's corpus may still be physically present in his domicile while doing even  ordinary things like eating, drinking, talking, communicating or making any signs of communications but in a rather rigid and unnatural way for hours or days that correspond with the soul's journey.  Even when everybody is asleep , the Shaman may still be on his soul journey to protect the community.  In typically traditional societies, when a person gets sick sometimes it is believed that the sick person's soul has been captured by demons and is being held in a spiritual prison.  These sicknesses include cerebral malaria, leukemia, thrombosis, stroke, etc. as some consequences of attributes to demonic possessions.  When the sick, person's soul is abducted by demons it is the Shaman's responsibility to force, trick  bribe or persuade the demons to release the soul.  Hence, the endless sacrifices of animals goods and humans at the Shaman's  bequest.  During such occassions, the Shaman summonses the district or community members to a gathering at which he may use drums, dancing or a chant.  On such occassions he wears an elaborate costume and follows a dramatic ritual.  During the performance, he will recite poetic incantations of his journey, his meeting with spirits and the objects and dangers on his path.  He may also talk about his fights with witches as well as disclose the names of members of the community who are possesed by witches, devils, demonds or evel spell.
 Shamans are perceived by people as turning into flying entities like birds; they could transform themselves into 'night monkeys'  owls, horses, etc. on their soul travel.  Shamanism, thus, integrates into everyday life those aspects of conciousness that seem otherworldly to us; i.e. out-of-body travel, psychic healing and communication with the dead.  The Shaman supposedly inhibits the boarders of this world and the beyond, he steps easily among the physical, astral and spiritual planes.  He is a creature of two worlds embodying the whole community's link with other dimensions of existence.                        Traditional Shamans exist in folkloric forms in both western and traditional societies.  For example, as I said earlier on that the Shaman's behavior  amongst his peers may appear strange as those feared in western society.  As a child, the Shaman may be easily identified from his peers when he forgets his psychic visions, soliloquizes, or walks bare footed.  Such behavior may be seen as marks of insanity or emotional distress by westerners.  In modern western society the child may be introduced to a social worker, or psychiatrist for examination and may even be forced to leave  school for safety reasons.  He may probably end up on the margins of western society.  In the tribal society however, his actions will be considered a Shamanic call and he would be left alone undisturbed .  As an adolescent he might act on an innate urge to depart for the hills or forests and stay there for a week or more  living naturally among the wild.  When he returns finally filthy in rags ,   bloodstained, bare footed, and mute as well, then a word will spread that a new Shaman has appeared among the people.  The Shaman  possesses skills that are  very extraordinary and in most cases extremely beneficial to his community.  He can for instance, cure incurable diseases.  He is veiwed differently from a religious leader such as a priest or an iman who are the custodians of religious dogma and the arbiter of religious valves.  Such as "if an enemy slaps you on one cheek, give him the other one too."  Religious leaders are agents of mercy, compassion and forgiveness.  The Shaman's conduct is not molded by religious persuasion but rather by his own eccentric disposition.  The Shaman can be a source of personal protection and good health.  He can also be a source of vengeance and retribution when deemed offended.  When offended, the Shaman in his demonic fury can wipe out a whole community with fire, or drown the whole community in a flood.   In his fury he could also instruct a swamp of bees to atack the community or cast some other spell that will cause war and hardship in the community.  No doubt, Shamanic tyrants have ruled their subjects for years and years without been challenged or defied in their authority. --"The longer they rule the more feared and obeyed they become.  The more feared and obeyed they are perceived, the more gigantic and shamanic they claim; and the more despotic they rule".  To illustrate this example, I will quote the ancient ruler of Egypt Pharoah, whose rule was so long feared and tyranic that in the end he claimed himself stronger than even God.  In spite of his apotheosis into a diety, he drawned during the big flood that called for the construction of Noah's arch.  Pharoah was a non believer of the Biblical God but yet his personality and wisdom were highly respected by his subjects including the followers of other religions.  He was feared and obeyed due to the overwhelming power he exercised over his subjects.  During his era parents dutifully handed over their baby boys to the Pharoah to be slaughtered because it was prophesied that a man child will be born at the time who will bring the Pharoah's rule to an end.  Also, the enslavment of several thousands of defenless people in Egypt and it's environs was justified by the Pharoah as perquisites of his deitified office.  The largest beneficiary of the Pharoah  largesse includes Shamans and other courtiers.  However, the Pharoah was not the sole claimant of Sharmanic powers.  Today, we have abundant recorded memories of Hitler, Napoleon, Cecil Rhodes and Mussolini who were all sanguinary tyrants revered with Sharmanic awe.
 Shamanism is not a religion or sect although it has a great influence in the social and political lives of the people it influences.  Shamanism is different from religion, but may play roles similar to those of religious institutions.  It is been believed by some people that releigion itself evolved out of Shamanism.  The Holy Bible and the Holy Koran narrate lots of stories associated with Shamanism.  For example, the story of Samson, David and Goliath, Jonah and the fish, Joseph and many more which both the Bible and the Koran talks about deal with Shamanism to some extent.
 Shamanism had fermented countless tribal wars of conquest and revanche that to date left Africa fragmented along tribal lines.  Today even the folkloric stories of African wisdom relate more to heroism and Shamanic reigns than any other theme.  Most ancient and pre-colonial rulers of Africa possessed Shamanic qualities.  Most of them were exceptional fighters whose martial conquest on the battle field surpasses anything the movies can contrive.  The Sharmanic ruler can appear and dissappear at different times or is said to be impervious to bullets, matchets, knives, spears, attacks and could not be killed even when in his deepest slumber.  In his quest to conquer and dominate, the Sharmanic ruler exploits the labor of his defenseless subjects to produce enough food on the district farm to feed his army as well as to enrich himself.  He acts upon his whims, even if they have to do with a mere dream he had.  With a staff, wand  or  oxtail decorated with cowries and red fabric, the Sharmanic king or ruler will portray his status.    His magic, psychic and wisdom are all vested in one of these emblems and he hardly goes to anywhere without them.  The rulers in the Shamanic dominion dictate to their subjects what they like regardles of wheather it is of benefit to the community or not.  Lets look at the case of Mobutu, former ruler of Zaire. He was a typical Sharmanic ruler.  His official name is Mobutu Sese Seko which means in Lingala, a conquering lion that leaves fire and destruction in his wake.  He wears a signature hat made of leopard skin and carries a wan.  These emblems were said to have occult powers that could make him invincible when attacked.  Mobutu attributed his powers to some animist gods in Zaire.  Shamanism has indeed left and indelible culture in African politics to date.  The leaders of most African states today trace their ancestry to Shamanic origin.  Their subjects obey them with the same Shamanic owe.  They are mostly power hungry leaders who are only interested in consolidating their dominion over the state.  They all claim to possess certain powers given to them by God himself.  This is why African politics is not so receptive to democracy.
 The traditional Shaman turned political Shaman is the most ruthless and economically sensless transformation.  In his wake he sees defenseless people who are trapped by a fake mentality that "leaders are born".  Even in his sleep he is sure of the reverence and awe that he commanded among his subjects.  He knows the fact that he will never be challenged -and even if he is, the price will be too costly and detrimental to the challenger.
  Shamanism is not just a curious subject of anthropological interest, but also an intergral part of contemporary African politics.  Indeed, almost all African leaders parade to their citizens their participation in this traditional practice.  At the local level, Shamanism dominates the workplace with people retaining a Shaman to help protect their jobs or to help in securing promotion. The irreversible consequences of such practice has resulted in the impoverishment of most africans to date. In most cases Africans would rather dance to the tune of their shamanic dictators than resort to meaningful ventures.  Shaminism though not a religion but it captivates the individual in a constant state of mental dependency and in a physical state of defenslessness; thus exposing the individual in a perpetual atmosphere of massive exploitation.