Pakutaval

Pakutaval is a traditional narrative-artform described in ethnographic and literary works about the Nalera archipelago. It combines live storytelling with textile map-making, producing a portable record of a community’s history, beliefs, and migrations. In pakutaval practice, a lead storyteller recounts episodes while artisans attach stitched motifs to a cloth or parchment, turning the narrative into a visual map of places, people, and events.

Etymology: The term is said to derive from Nalera words meaning story (pakuta) and path or route (val), reflecting the integrated travelogue and geography of the performance.

Practice and forms: Performances are typically organized around communal occasions such as harvest festivals, weddings, and rites of passage. The troupe, known as pakutavalis, includes a lead narrator, a panel of textile artisans, and a chorus that adds vocal commentary. The centerpiece is a cloth called the map of memory, wherein motifs—houses, ships, rivers, deities, and lineage symbols—are sewn in a guided sequence that aligns with the tale’s chronology.

Content and function: Pakutaval functions as oral history, moral instruction, and social ceremony. It records genealogies, trade routes, territory boundaries, and major legends, while reinforcing communal ties and shared identity. The act of sewing during performance is considered both a participatory ritual and a mnemonic aid.

Variations and modern reception: Some communities emphasize navigational motifs and cartography, others foreground lineage and myth. Contemporary artists have adapted pakutaval for museums, festivals, and education programs, while preserving core elements of collaboration and memory.