Śi (ɕí / SHĒ)

Śilaan (singular: śi) were shrines built by the Nayya people. The śi was at the heart of every Nayya village and served to honor the village's lan yuliim (patron spirit) as well as as a point of communication with the yuliim and other local lanlaan (supernatural beings).
The official founding of any new settlement always began with the śi. A priest would accompany the prospective founders to the desired site of the new settlement and request the permission of the local guardian spirit (which could be any type of supernatural being, not necessarily a spirit per se) to found a settlement. If permission was granted, a śi would be erected to honor the spirit, and the town founded around it. If no such spirit could be contacted, then a śi ɡ́ahim ("vacant shrine") would be constructed instead (however, the lack of protection by a patron was seen as inauspicious, and such sites were sometimes abandoned instead).
The most basic of śilaan consisted of a space designated as sacred ground, in which there was an altar where offerings were made to the lam yuliim. This altar was usually (though not always) housed in a building or shelter. Early śilaan were normally basic structures, but later śilaan could range from simple altars to complex temples honoring a number of lanlaan.
A śi could be dedicated to any number of lanlaan, including none at all. The most important of these was the lan yuliim, the patron spirit. If other lanlaan were important to the village or city, they could be enshrined beside the yuliim; this could include the spirits of humans of particular local importance. In some cases, a śi lacked a yuliim, though this such vacancies were temporary and considered inauspicious.

Purpose / Function

Śilaan served multiple purposes. The first was to honor the lan yuliim, or patron spirit, and sometimes other spiritual or magial beings. In some cases, the yuliim inhabited the śi; in others, it visited. In all cases, the altar was of vital importance, as this was where offerings where left. Offerings would be given for a variety of reasons, including to show respect to the yuliim, to retain their favor, to give thanks, and in exchange for favors. In the event that a śi lacked a yuliim, invitation offerings would be given in the hopes of winning the favor of some being who could protect the village.
The other core function of the śi was to serve as a point for communication with the local lanlaan, or supernatural beings. Part of the priest's job was to maintain good relations with the yuliim and other enshrined lanlaan. It was also their job to serve as a mediator between the lanlaan and the village, communicating requests and other messages to the lanlaan on behalf of the village and vice versa.

Type

Shrine