Üheskohas

Üheskohas is a traditional ceremonial complex of the Navali people, comprising a circular hall, a central hearth, and a yearly sequence of rites performed during the harvest festival. In ethnographic literature, üheskohas describes both the physical space and the accompanying set of communal practices that center on shared presence in one place.

Ritual activities include polyphonic singing, drum ensembles, and the distribution of ceremonial bread and smoke offerings. The central feature is a processional tour around the hall in which participants pause at marked stations to recount histories, perform narratives, and acknowledge kinship ties. The event spans three days and ends with a large communal feast and a final song.

The name is usually analyzed as a compound from Navali roots meaning “one” and “place,” reflecting the emphasis on unity in a single space. The term thus signals both the architectural setting and the social aim of collective attention.

Geographically, üheskohas has been documented primarily on the southern isles of the Navali archipelago. Anthropologists view it as a central mechanism for social cohesion, memory transmission, and the delineation of role-based responsibilities, such as choir conductors, narrators, and hosts.

Historically, accounts of üheskohas appear in early colonial records and later fieldwork. Contemporary studies examine regional variations and the degree to which the ritual expresses indigenous continuity versus external influence. The term is used in comparative studies of ritual unity and communal identity.