sedastas
Sedastas is a traditional episodic narrative performance found among coastal communities of several regions. It combines myth, history, and daily life in a sequence told aloud by a lead storyteller, often with a chorus and a small musical ensemble. In ethnographic accounts, sedastas are described as a flexible form rather than a fixed text, varying by locale and performer.
Performance structure typically opens with an invocation to ancestors or sea spirits, followed by interconnected episodes.
Content and themes center on origins of people and places, seafaring traditions, ecological wisdom, and social
Social function: Sedastas serve as vehicles for cultural memory, moral instruction, and the legitimization of leadership.
Transmission and variation: Regional variants differ in language, musical accompaniment, and pacing. Sedastas are typically passed
Contemporary status: Ethnographers have documented sedastas since the late 19th century, and many communities are now