snahách

Snahách is a traditional communal ritual of the Serai people in the fictional Serai Archipelago, described in contemporary ethnographic works set in the world of Arion. The term derives from the Serai language, combining a root meaning “to listen” with a nominal suffix, and is commonly translated as “the listening circle.”

The practice centers on storytelling as a means of preserving history, law, and genealogies. It is typically held during the harvest festival, on the first full moon after harvest, and lasts three nights. Participants gather around a central fire; elder storytellers, known as keepers, present long-form narratives about ancestors, legendary deeds, and communal laws. Each night includes a formal session followed by improvised verses from younger members. Central ritual objects include memory bowls used to pass down inscriptions of lineage and a drum that marks transitions between speakers.

Snahách functions as a social glue, reinforcing kinship and shared identity. It is generally egalitarian in structure: status is earned through voice, memory, and knowledge rather than birth. Variants exist among villages, with some adding ritual oaths, song exchanges, or trades performed during interludes.

In the Arion ethnographic tradition, snahách is recognized as part of intangible cultural heritage and has undergone revival amid modernization. Debates surround preservation versus authenticity and the risks of commodifying the rite, especially as digital media enable broader archiving and dissemination.

See also: oral tradition, intangible cultural heritage.