jakaantuva

Jakaantuva is a term from the Brinari language used in the fictional Brinari Highlands to denote a formal process of social reconciliation after collective disputes. The literal meaning is often glossed as "to bind together through listening." In practice, jakaantuva refers to a structured ritual that centers on testimony, mediation, and a communal pledge.

The ceremony occurs during the mid-year convergence festival. A council of elders or trained mediators presides. Participants from affected groups present grievances in turns, aided by a designated listener who summarizes points to ensure mutual understanding. Apologies are offered by offending parties, followed by reparative obligations—such as shared labor or material restitution—and a communal meal that follows the pledge. Symbolically, tokens representing debts or harms are exchanged and then broken or returned as a sign of closure.

Regional variants exist: some communities include singing or dance to accompany testimonies; others use quiet reflection in a separate chamber. The outcome is not penalization but restoration of social bonds and mutual obligations.

Historically, mentions of jakaantuva appear in ethnographic records of the Brinari Highlands from the 19th century onward, though similar practices appear in neighboring regions under different names. Contemporary scholars view it as an example of restorative justice embedded in ritual life, illustrating how collective memory and accountability operate without formal legal coercion.

Related concepts include restorative justice, ritual reconciliation, and communal feasting.