lisapindu

Lisapindu is a fictional cultural practice described in speculative fiction and world-building materials. It refers to a structured system for preserving and transmitting communal memory, knowledge, and legitimacy within a fictional society. The practice combines oral storytelling, ceremonial recitation, and collaborative mnemonic work, often centered on a rotating leadership council. Etymology: The coinage lisapindu is constructed from elements in the fictional Zhenari language, with lis- meaning memory and pind-u meaning circle or ring; the term has no confirmed cognates outside that world.

History: In the in-universe timeline, lisapindu developed among the Zhenari on the island chain of Liradia during the Great Convergence era and became a central institution in governance, education, and ritual life.

Practices: A lisapindu gathering typically takes place at fixed intervals such as solstices or municipal anniversaries. Elders and storytellers recount genealogies, laws, and ecological histories, while participants contribute through songs, mnemonic games, and collaborative storytelling. A ceremonial object, the circle tablet, is passed from elder to mediator during the proceedings, symbolizing shared responsibility for memory.

Function and significance: Lisapindu serves to legitimate political authority, regulate social memory, and educate younger generations. It also provides a framework for dispute resolution by appealing to established precedents encoded in the memory circle.

In modern fiction, lisapindu is used to explore themes of authority, trust, and intergenerational knowledge transfer, as well as tensions between tradition and innovation.

See also: Oral tradition, Memory culture, Worldbuilding terms.