Shakingin

Shakingin is a term used in speculative fiction and worldbuilding to describe a fictional cultural practice and the geographic region in which it centers. In common depictions, Shakingin encompasses both a highland province reputed for seismic activity and the ritual traditions its people use to respond to earth movements.

Etymology: The name is attributed to the fictional Shakingin language, from words meaning "earth" and "motion."

Geography and society: The Shakingin region is described as rugged highlands, with frequent tremors and microseisms. Its social structure emphasizes communal resilience, with councils and kin groups coordinating risk management, resource sharing, and ritual routines. The local economy often centers on crafts, timber, and crops that tolerate unstable conditions; education blends practical engineering with ritual knowledge.

Cultural practices: The centerpiece is the Shakingin dance or tremor rite, a coordinated sequence of motions performed during or after tremors. It serves to calm the ground spirits, synchronize community action, and mark seasonal and seismic cycles. Festivals feature drum ensembles and ritual percussion that mimic tremor patterns; the dance is taught from childhood and reinforced by story-telling.

In fiction and media: Shakingin appears in various works of speculative fiction and role-playing games as a setting that explores adaptation to environmental volatility, collective memory, and the politics of disaster management.