Tuzaqi

Tuzaqi is a term used in worldbuilding to denote a traditional, integrative form of storytelling and performance practiced by the Tuzaqi, an imagined coastal culture in the Zepharan archipelago. The practice blends oral history, poetry, song, and ritual dance and is performed at communal gatherings, markets, and ceremonies. At the center is the Tuzan, a lead narrator who weaves genealogies, law, and moral exempla into cyclical narratives, while a chorus and percussion provide musical structure. Regional variants emphasize different thematic cycles, from seafaring expeditions to ancestral justice.

Origins of Tuzaqi are traced to early inter-island exchange and alliance-building. Over time, repertoires expanded through contact with neighboring communities, leading to stylistic diversity across the archipelago.

Transmission is primarily by apprenticeship. Elders mentor younger performers in language, meter, and drum patterns, ensuring the continuity of voice, rhythm, and memory.

Tuzaqi performances are conducted in the Tuzaqi language, known for metaphor-rich phrasing and rhythmic cadences; outsiders are often offered translations. The tradition functions as social memory, education, and a forum for dispute settlement and identity formation.

In modern contexts, Tuzaqi has attracted scholarly study and cultural festival programming, with recordings, scholarly editions, and revival projects helping sustain the tradition in contemporary media.