These two figurines shed light on interesting cultural aspects of the Canelos Quichua of Ecuador. One figure is a shaman and the other is his patient. A shaman is a male village healer who uses the environment around him to heal the ailments of his neighbors. Shamans also call upon the spirit world to help guide them to a cure. They "see" the spirits of the water and forest worlds when in séance, and female master potters portray the vision in their ceramic designs.