A Brief Profile Of The Chothe Tribe
- Part 2 -

Shyleyn *

Chothe Dance at the Festival of Tribal Dance in March 2012 :: Pix - Phurailatpam Banti

ATTENDANTS OF THE VILLAGE:

Another group of people called RUI assists the village administrators. The Hloukal appoints them. The duties of the RUI include serving and ushering people; perform errands, and others as instructed by their superiors. This Rui was again divided into Rui-Ulin and Rui-Naopang, that is, Senior and Junior groups. There was a post called Rui-tolpa. It means the youngest of the Rui members or the lowest ranking member of the Rui.

VILLAGE CRIER: Notification for a meeting or important event is announced by a village crier, called Ahu Paochel. The Changrui appoints the AHU PAOCHEL from time to time. In many cases, the Changrui himself takes over the duties of the Ahu Paochel. He roams around the corners of the village and shouts aloud the information. He normally chooses evenings as the suitable time to announce information. The villagers are bound to return from their works, in the evening. The villagers divided themselves into groups and repair bridges, roads and others deemed necessary.

STATUS OF A VILLAGE CHIEF: The word 'King' (ARENG) was also used to address a village chief. A function with much pomp and fanfare is held in honored of the newly elevated Chief. Dances and songs are performed in the new Chief's lawn. The villagers carry the Chief on a palanquin to participate in festivals. One song sang in such function goes like this, 'Kareng-o, ahra-o kareng-o Reng-o, sansum ahra-e, kareng-o Reng-o, sansum ahra-e, kareng-o Satai phon-ang ahra-e, kareng-o Satai phon-ang ahra-e, kareng-o Kareng thingphun thingnah yaam trai ahra o, kareng-o Rello huiva, hring-ah bawm ae kareng-o Rello huiva, hring-ah bawm ae kareng-o Kung-ah saisim aw, hring-a chun-ae, kareng-o.

OTHER IMPORTANT VILLAGE OFFICIALS:

ATHEEMPU: The earlier Chothe village also had 'Athiempu' (Priest) who led all kinds of rites and festivals. ATHIEMPU was the only one who could communicate with the gods, particularly the Lunchungpa. He had the ability to go to the wilderness and bring back the soul of a dying person. His official residence is called LAPHAAL. Everyone feared him. The Athiempu would occasionally perform rites at the main entrance gate of the village called PALTHONG.

The rites were performed to bring good fortunes and ward of evil spirits. He sacrificed rice, eatables and animals like cats to the village deity, Lungchungpa. Heads of the animals sacrificed to the village deities were stick up in poles. The seat of the deity Lungchungpa is called LAMAAN. When a man lies on his dying bed, the Atheempu went to a forest, performed some rituals, and brought back the 'soul' of the dying man. RENCHANG assisted in selecting songs and led in singing in festivals and rituals. SAHPU served in the worshipping place on behalf of a clan. Each clan took turns in serving in the place of worship.

ASHEI assisted in organizing rites of the festivals and WELCHANG assisted the YUPAAL ULIN in religious rites. There were many other officials who were in charged of different duties. HULUDENGPA was a village official who was responsible for offering a portion of wine or eatables to the deities before a festival or rite commenced. POTCHOIPA oversaw the things meant for the dead. There were POTCHOIPA-ULIN and his junior, POTCHOIPA-NAOPANG. YUZONG-ULIN was the Chief winemaker (or head of winery) and assisted by YUZONG-NAOPANG.

OTHER MANDATORY ORGANISATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS:

BLACKSMITHY: A Chothe village used to have an official blacksmith called THIRSUH. The residence of THIRSUH was also known as THIRSUH INN. He too had students to replace him when he retired. He and his co-workers were responsible for making tools and objects needed in the villagers. ATOO (spade), ATOOTE (garden spade or smaller version of a common spade), CHAMTLUN (sword that was bended on its upper flat body and had pointed tip), CHAM (sword of an ordinary design), AREI (axe), SEI (spear), THAL (bow), THALRU (arrow), SANGKAI (small and long dagger with curved shape), were his common creations. The Chothes had spears of different shapes and sizes.

YOUTHS' DORMITORY: A youths' dormitory called KANGSHEL SANG was also a main part of a village. It was normally constructed near the main entrance of the village (PALTHONG). The KANGSHEL SANG was divided into two groups, KANGTHAR-ULIN (senior group or leader of Senior Bachelors' group) and KANGTHAR-NAOPANG (junior group or leader of Junior Bachelors' group). Their main role was to protect the village from the attack of outsiders, whom they called TAIRAM MEE. They took turns in sleeping in the dormitory at nights. During the nights, they locked the doors or gates which they termed as KULVUL KAL. Kangthar-Ulin was the overall head of the groups; he had disciples or followers known as RUI or ROOI. [The word, RUI, is sometimes used to address a person as a comrade.]

There was a tradition called ARUI YONG where the Kangthar-Ulin sought for his replacement. He visited homes, selected one of the infants to replace him in the future, and offered his own necklace (HRI) to the child. He informed the child's parents that, the chosen would be his RUI. He then started addressing the child as 'CHIMRUI' which means 'compatriot'. As the child grew, the Kangthar-Ulin offered meats and other items to the child's parents and took the child under his care and tutelage. When the Kangthar-Ulin, the head of the bachelors, got married, he would vacate his post. Therefore, he would pass on his responsibilities to the child he had nurtured.

Offering gifts, advice and instructions, the Kangthar Ulin passed on his post to his heir or replacement. In turn, the new Kangthar-Ulin would offer gifts and specially made wine to the former Kangthar-Ulin and expressed his gratitude and farewell in the form of songs. In the olden days, discipline was one the most important qualities expected from a person. It was considered a sacrilege when a man disobeyed or questioned the instructions of a person older than him or holding an office of high rank. When a man was found not to respect his elders or village officials, burning firewood was used to thrash him on his back.

NORMS OF MIGRATION: The Chothe people still practice this unique tradition pertaining to a person emigrating from one village to another. When a resident of a Chothe village desires to settle somewhere else, he needs to give prior information to the governing establishment of the village in which he presently lives. The authority would instruct him not to leave any dues if he happens to have. At the same time, the spot where he had settled would become the property of the village, unless the man chose to let any of his relative of the same village to settle.

Traditionally, a person desiring to leave the village has to offer a swine of six feet long, a large jar of wine, and other things to the village authority. This tradition is called PALROP-KANNA or HU-HOUNA. On the other hand, a person who wants to settle in a Chothe village has to take the permission of that village's authority to do so. He has the right to select a spot in the village for making his house, but the authority has the right to veto his choice. He has to offer swine, rice beer, and wine among others as required to the village authority. This tradition is called HULUTNA. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: The annual calendar of the Chothes was, at one time, mostly reserved for festivals and merry making. Their prominent festivals were SHANGHONG RIN, CHULTUK RIN, YAANGPAL-KA RIN, AYU-HAILENG RIN, YAAR RIN, SALAH RIN, KUMYAI RIN, etc. Here, RIN means festival.

All of the festivals were celebrated once a year. Most of them were celebrated for seven consecutive days. Different types of rites were performed for each of the seven days.

ABOUT THEIR FESTIVALS:

SHANGHONG RIN is a harvest festival celebrated in October, in honor of the harvest goddess SABUHONG. CHULTUK RIN is a festival of yeast, celebrated in September, for three days or less. AYU-HAILENG RIN is festival in the month of March for three days, where rats were hunted to sacrifice them to their deity, Lungchungpa. YAANGPAL-KA RIN is a festival of youths, and it is celebrated in the month of August.

SALAH RIN is a festival observing the separation of death and life, and it is celebrated in May. YAAR RIN is a festival celebrated in February, to appease the deity Lungchungpa.

KUMYAI RIN means 'a half-yearly festival'. If an outsider participated in any of these festivals, it was mandatory that the guest participated in the festival until it concludes. Failing which, the guest will meet dangers and sicknesses on his way and even misgivings could befall on his family. The guest was not even to cross over from one village to another during the festivals. Prior to the celebration, it was customary to collect rice, rice-beer, fowls, and other animals for offering to the village Chief, as well as for their communal feasts.

Villagers dividing themselves into village elders, senior and junior bachelors, priests and priestesses would offer these things. Songs and dances were performed. The TANG-ULIN and the TANG-NAOPONG exchange verses of songs pleading for the village's chief permission. The village chief would then formally give his consent to begin the celebrations. The wizard or priest was a prominent individual in all these festivals. The Tang-Ulin, after formal rituals, would offer prayers to the deity, Lungchungpa and formally announced the commencement of the festival.

To be continued....