Final answer:
Shamans are part-time religious practitioners who have the ability to communicate with supernatural forces, enabling them to prophesy and heal, which makes 'a) Shamans' the correct answer to the question.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is a) Shamans. Shamans are known to be part-time religious practitioners who engage in direct communication with spirits, gods, or the supernatural realm. Unlike priests who officiate at regular rituals, shamans work on individual needs, though they do sometimes perform community rituals, like ensuring successful hunting by 'calling up the animals'. Their practice involves transcending normal reality to interact with supernatural forces, which enables them to perform tasks such as healing, divining, and locating lost people or animals. These abilities might be inherited or learned, and while they carry out these religious roles, shamans also participate in the regular tasks of their community.