Odogan is a Nedigal word for shaman and is related to the Mongolian name of Etügen, the hearth goddess, and Etügen Eke "Mother Earth". Siberian languages use words for male shamans from diverse roots, but the words for female shaman are almost all from the same root. It is connected this with the theory that women's practice of shamanism was established earlier than men's, that "shamans were originally female."

Modern shamanism refers to "new"' forms of shamanism, or methods of seeking visions or healing. Shamanism comprises an eclectic range of beliefs and practices that involve attempts to attain altered states and communicate with a spirit world.