Ashaman word inspiration.

Scarloc99 · February 7, 2023

Has Robert Jordan ever talked about where the word Ashaman comes from? Is it as simple as being A Shaman? Taken from the medicine men and shamanism of our age?

wotfan4472 · February 7, 2023

I think it is actually likely that Ashaman is precisely a reinterpretation of that term. It is as close to male Aes Sedai as possible, without using the term.

As far as the West recognize them, anyway, since cultures in the real world have men and women that do what the Wise Ones or Sea Folk do, both in organization, and purpose.

The West would use those people as the Aes Sedai are portrayed in the books, and ultimately as difunctionally as they ended up being.

Edited February 7, 2023 by wotfan4472

Samt · February 7, 2023

In universe, Ashaman is "guardian" in the old tongue. As to whether or not Robert Jordan was trying to write a real world reference into that word by making it similar to shaman or something like that, I have not heard.

Edited February 7, 2023 by Samt

wotfan4472 · February 19, 2023

In many cultures, the guardian that Rand intended is basically knights. However, many other cultures have shamans that their traditions have protecting reality as Rand ended up doing.

HeavyHalfMoonBlade · September 15, 2023

Quote

Asha'man may be a reference to Ashama ibn Abjar, the king of Aksum during the founding of Islamic religion. Ashama provided refuge to a number of Muslims who were wanting to escape persecution in Mecca. Ashama's offer of protection coincides with the Old Tongue word, asha'man, meaning "guardian".

It may also refer to the Avestan word for "truth" and "righteousness," Asha, which is a central concept of Zoroastrianism.

In Bengali and Sanskrit, "shaman" means balanced or equal. An "a" placed before a word connotes "without." Thus "a'shaman" means without equality, unbalanced or uneven.

Or it may be from the term shaman.

From Asha'man | A Wheel of Time Wiki | Fandom