Traditional Nuosu origin narratives : A case study of ritualized epos in Bimo incantation scriptures

The starting point for this essay is the word bbopa,2 whose common meaning is "origin" or "origin-narrative" in the Nuosu language. Bbopa refers to the creation of the world, to material and non-material creations of Nuosu society, and to "the way of speaking" about a remote past. Lubi are the salt of everyday Nuosu life, while bbopa is the prelude to ritual life. Throughout this essay, I underscore the consistency and diversity of Nuosu oral traditions. These few observations only begin to illustrate the many diverse generic categories of Nuosu oral traditions; included among them is bbopa, a rich and complex traditional narrative that encompasses a number of oral forms, styles, and genres.3 The bbopa constitute the case study for this essay.Issue title "Chinese Oral Traditions.