Razlinimi

Razlinimi is a term used in the Razlinian ethnolinguistic tradition to denote a form of communal narrative performance that transmits genealogies, laws, and moral guidelines. Performances combine spoken narration with repetitive refrains, call-and-response segments, and improvised embellishments, and are typically accompanied by percussion and wind instruments.

Etymology: the word is derived from Razlinian roots razl- “to weave” and nimi “thread” or “story,” reflecting the practice of weaving multiple generations into a single performance.

Practice: a lead storyteller narrates a core sequence; participants contribute alternating verses or motifs; stories may incorporate past events, proverbs, and ritual formulas. Performances can last from one to several hours and often occur during communal gatherings, ceremonies, or rites of passage.

Function: razlinimi serves to codify lineage, adjudicate disputes, teach ethics, and reinforce social cohesion by making memory an active, participatory process.

History: sources place the earliest known references in Razlinia’s written ethnographies of the 16th century, though oral traditions likely predate documentation. The form has diversified regionally, with stylistic differences in diction, tempo, and instrumental usage.

Scholarly reception: scholars view razlinimi as a living oral tradition that resists fixed canon; debates concern authenticity in revitalization movements and the impact of modern media on traditional forms.

See also: oral tradition, performance studies, ethnography.