Cosmology, Gender, and Rituals: An Analysis of the Nuosu Shalaluo Ceremony

Abstract

The Shalaluo ceremony, a coming-of-age ritual in Nuosu society, represents a critical transition for girls into adulthood. This study examines the ceremony’s sociocultural and spiritual significance by situating it within the broader framework of the Jia zhi system, ancestral worship, and gendered expectations. Through its symbolic processes—such as the five-section skirt and ancestral blessings—the Shalaluo reinforces the Nuosu cosmology’s emphasis on lineage continuity, moral purity, and spiritual legitimacy. Moreover, the role of elderly women as ritual facilitators highlights their unique position as cultural custodians who transmit tradition while upholding patriarchal norms. This paper argues that the Shalaluo ceremony not only reflects the societal and spiritual pressures placed on women but also reveals the interconnectedness of family, cosmology, and identity in Nuosu culture.