Popsanjími

Popsanjími is a fictional ceremonial practice described in speculative fiction and world-building contexts. It is imagined as a traditional ritual of memory and communal singing among communities in the fictional region of Lirenda, where the Zoradi language is spoken. The practice centers on storytelling, ritual procession, and the sharing of communal histories.

Name etymology derives from Zoradi roots associated with gathering and memory, with variations in translation across sources.

Historically within the fiction, popsanjími is said to have emerged after a great flood in the early medieval period and to have evolved through local masks and laments. Textual references appear in manuscripts attributed to village scribes from Nythra and in later epic poems, with regional variations.

During popsanjími, participants wear carved wooden masks and carry lanterns. A master singer performs a sequence of sanjími tales, interwoven with percussion from drums and flutes. Communities assemble in squares or courts, perform for three nights, and conclude with a shared feast. The ritual aims to preserve oral history, reinforce kinship ties, and pass values to younger generations. Roles are often assigned by apprenticeship: reciter, drummer, mask-carver, and organizer.

In modern speculative settings, popsanjími is invoked to discuss memory, identity, and the tension between tradition and modernization. It is portrayed as an important but contested symbol of cultural authenticity, sometimes adapted to support tourism or education within the fictional world. It has not been proposed for real-world UNESCO recognition, as it exists within a fictional space.