Rih Ngai festival of the Zeliangrong
A Comparison with Mayasvi festival of Tsou tribe of Taiwan
- Part 3 -

Budha Kamei *

On their way, they will shout incessantly as a way to report to gods and then come back to the Kuba for more rituals. In the Kuba, the tribe elders mix up the wine, cakes and meat brought by the warriors together and then the mixture is distributed to every household symbolizing tribal unity.

Just before that they will offer wine to the god of war for strength and unity. The most important ceremonies of the unity ritual are the Patkaya and Yasmoyuska- both are rite of passage for the boys in the Tsou culture.

Patkaya introduces newborn boys of the tribe to the residing gods in the Kuba. Usually, presented by a maternal uncle, a baby boy will be introduced to the gods by surrounding warriors who will chant the Tsou victory scripture, the Tue followed by blessings from elders with rice wine.

Then, teenage boys are brought into the Kuba, where they will be whipped with a vine and presented with their first leather hat from elders. The leader will then lead the now grown up men to the village chief to receive rice wine and encouragement to commemorate their rite of passage. This act symbolizes the passage from a teenager to an adult.

After the rituals in the Kuba, the warriors will walk into the square again, engaging in the sending off ceremony. Everyone will gather in front of the sacred trees again in a semi-circle, singing four songs.

In the middle, female members of the tribe will also enter the formation with torches, signifying the unification with the tribal fire and the Kuba's sacred fire. At the end of the song, they will send off the gods through the sacred trees back into the sky. Later on, they will perform a ceremonial cleansing of the village to purge from evils.

At the evening, the elders will lead the tribe members into a dance with all kind of songs, praising the god of war and the heroic deeds of their ancestors. Each clan will also praise and present gift each other, signifying their close ties.

The festival usually lasts a period of two days, until the midnight of the last day. All the men attending will chant again their song of gratitude before putting out the fire in the square, which closes the celebration of Mayasvi festival.

To conclude, in the distant past, inter-village war was a common occurrence among the tribal peoples. The male members/warriors of the village at the cost of their lives defended the village from enemy's attacks.

The practice of head hunting was gone. However, it is preserved in the form of narrative. The war rituals continue without the violence in the Rih Ngai and Mayasvi festivals for prosperity, strength and victory. It protects and promotes the rich culture and traditions of the peoples.

Young members also have the opportunity to learn the historic culture, social ethics and ancestor's wisdom through the process of the festival. Besides, festival serves as a reunion of family members, relatives, and friends.

By participating in the festival, people settle disputes and misunderstandings. Socially, festival promotes peace and unity within the family system and the society as a whole.

Concluded...