içecee

içecee is a fictional term used in worldbuilding and speculative fiction to denote a ceremonial practice centered on a shared beverage and narrative exchange. Although the name resembles words for drink in several Turkic languages, içecee is not a real-world practice.

In its fictional use, içecee refers both to the drink and to the social ritual surrounding it. The beverage, often a lightly infused tea or herb infusion, is prepared communally and served in small cups. The focus is on mindful tasting and storytelling, as participants describe sensory impressions and personal memories triggered by the drink.

The ritual typically involves a host who coordinates the sequence, a scribe who records a condensed version of each participant’s impressions, and a circle of participants who take turns speaking. Visual or auditory cues—such as a shared song, a small bell, or a string of beads—mark turns and transitions.

In fictional histories, içecee serves as a vehicle for exploring themes of community, tradition, and the negotiation between heritage and modernization. Some authors depict it as a stabilizing cultural practice in times of upheaval, while others critique it as performative or commodified. Scholarly treatments within those works often frame içecee as an example of intangible cultural heritage in a diasporic or urban setting.

See also: beverage culture in speculative fiction; sensory diaries; worldbuilding terms.