The Song of Mukhomor - Tom Stimson, 1996

Here’s Tom Stimson’s original write-up: Extending southward a thousand miles from the east coast of Siberia is the vast wilderness of the Kamchatka peninsula. This land of towering volcanoes, steaming geysers, and endless tundra is one of the most remote and rugged places on earth. There is an ancient rhythm which has echoed through this dramatic landscape for thousands of years. It is sung by the reindeer people - hunters and fishermen, nomads and village folk. They dance to this ancient voice which speaks to all who will listen - the Song of Mukhomor. In September of 1995, Colorado artist Tom Stimson participated in a mycological/cultural expedition to Kamchatka with a group of American fungophiles. Tom produced a 24 minute video record of important rituals, singing, dancing, and personal stories of some of the more colorful natives they encountered on their journey. The main focus of the trip was to discover and record as much as possible about the use, now and in the past, of the Amanita Muscaria mushroom ( or “Mukhomor“ in Russian) by native Kamchatkans in their religious rituals and everyday lives.