The Whisperers

Whisperers are people who believe they posses a gift from God, giving them the power to heal all kinds of diseases and physical pain.

Whisperers are people who believe they posses a gift from God, giving them the power to heal all kinds of diseases and physical pain. They claim that they are also able to throw spells and charms and free people from evil possession. The name probably came from the way they treat their believers, whispering special prayers into their ears. At least that's the best known explanation because the few last Whisperers in Poland and Belarus use little different techniques. Whisperers are most of all elder women. They live in small villages in Podlasie area in the eastern part of Poland and western part of Belarus. They derive from the Orthodox church but today the church don't want to recognize them, cutting itself from that kind of practices. They treat patients all day in their houses or special blessed places few kilometers away from the villages they live in. Most of them don't take any money for their seance saying that their are obligated before God to do this. Whisperers have their regular patients from the nearby villages and people from all parts of the country and sometimes even the world. They have been a part of the local culture for hundreds of years in the Podlasie region, land of mysticism and symbols that dictate the rhythm of life for many people living here.

© Kuba Kaminski - Image from the The Whisperers photography project
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A dog and a cat owned by an anonymus priest from a nearby village who performs curing ceremonies by himself at night in his church. He is convinced that after a car accident he experianced, god gave him the power to heal.

© Kuba Kaminski - Whisperer from Okriabr village, Belarus in front of her house.
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Whisperer from Okriabr village, Belarus in front of her house.

© Kuba Kaminski - Whisperer Olga performs a curing by stepping out of the room through her patient.
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Whisperer Olga performs a curing by stepping out of the room through her patient.

© Kuba Kaminski - Whisperer Anna performing the curing beside the holy water source in Dobrywoda village
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Whisperer Anna performing the curing beside the holy water source in Dobrywoda village

© Kuba Kaminski - Image from the The Whisperers photography project
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The road to the village of Knorydy where more then hundred years ago Virgin Mary appeared and the people build a small church around a well with the holy water.

© Kuba Kaminski - Whisperer Luba performs a curing in Lelikow village, Belarus
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Whisperer Luba performs a curing in Lelikow village, Belarus

© Kuba Kaminski - Artemiuk performing a soul healing in her house in Parcew village
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Artemiuk performing a soul healing in her house in Parcew village

© Kuba Kaminski - Birds flying over the Orla village
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Birds flying over the Orla village

© Kuba Kaminski - A cat jumps from the fence in Rutka village at Whisperer Anna's house
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A cat jumps from the fence in Rutka village at Whisperer Anna's house

© Kuba Kaminski - A broken tree near Rutka village indicating a small path in the woods.
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A broken tree near Rutka village indicating a small path in the woods.

© Kuba Kaminski - A woman waiting for her turn in the Whisperers's Artemiuk house in Parcew village.
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A woman waiting for her turn in the Whisperers's Artemiuk house in Parcew village.

© Kuba Kaminski - Image from the The Whisperers photography project
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Three local women came pay their respects to the Virgin Mary and drink the holy water. in the village of Knorydy where more then hundred years ago Virgin Mary appeared and the people build a small church in which is a well with the holy water.

© Kuba Kaminski - Crosses on the Grabarka holy mountain.
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Crosses on the Grabarka holy mountain.

© Kuba Kaminski - Anna - a Whisperer from Rutka village.
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Anna - a Whisperer from Rutka village.

© Kuba Kaminski - Whisperer Wiera serches for a prayer in her spell book.
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Whisperer Wiera serches for a prayer in her spell book.

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