désédését

Désédését is a term used in speculative fiction to denote a traditional ritual of memory transmission and communal negotiation practiced by the fictional Valori people of the Archipelago of Sélune. The concept is widely cited in world-building guides and role-playing game sourcebooks as an exemplar of oral tradition in small societies.

Etymology: The word désédését is described as originating from the Valori language, combining dés- meaning “to tell” or “to recount” and édését meaning “memory” or “remembering.” The combination signals a ritual act that turns memory into spoken performance.

Practice: The ritual is performed during the winter solstice festival. Participants gather in a circular hall, with a designated memory-keeper, often an elder or storyteller, who leads; the sequence alternates between spoken genealogies, legendary myths, and accounts of moral choices. Each segment ends with a ceremonial chime from a bone flute and a drum. Objects—tally tablets, carved tokens—are passed around to symbolize the recording and distribution of memory.

Function: Désédését serves to preserve collective history, teach younger members social norms, and provide a framework for conflict resolution by referring to established precedents. It reinforces group identity and intergenerational trust.

Variants and reception: Variants exist among subgroups, with differences in length, language, and musical accompaniment. In some communities, désédését is complemented by dance and visual storytelling; in others, it remains strictly spoken word. In scholarly and cultural-fictional discussions, it is cited as a model of non-written tradition.