A Brief Profile Of The Chothe Tribe
- Part 5 -

Shyleyn *

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

A BRIEF PROFILE OF THE CHOTHE TRIBE-III
YAAR RIN:

Yaar rin is celebrated during the month of February for seven consecutive days. The day for commencing a festival depended on the predictions of the village's priest (Athiempu). However, it was usually celebrated from the first day of the week. On the first day, members of the governing authority Hloukal, the steering body Loumi, and other executives and officials of the village's establishments would collect rice from each household of the village, which was voluntarily donated. Fowls, pigs, and bovine animals were slaughtered. Then a grand feast followed.

Thereafter, the village chief, HULAAK was carried on a palanquin and taken out to the RUISANG, which served as the village court too. The Hulaak formally gave his consent for the commencement of the festival. Subsequently, the members of the Tang-Ulin offered prayers to the LUNCHUNGPA, and announced the commencement of the festival. In the evening, songs and dances continued, led by the head of the Tang-Ulin. On the second day, two groups were formed out of the esteemed village members. One group consists of the governing establishments of the village under the leadership of the Hloukal. The other group consists of the members from the Tang-Ulin and the Tang-Naopang, and led by the head of the Tang-Ulin. Both the groups would go to two separate directions around the hinterlands of the village. The Hloukal's group, being the overall authority, would go towards the side where the Laaman was, and proceed to the forest or wilderness around the surroundings of the village and come back at the Lam mun.

The group of the Tang-Ulin and Tang-Naopang would also go around the village, but opposite to the direction of the Hloukal group's, crossing forests and rivers. Both the groups would converge at the LAM MUN after that. Both the groups shared information about the conditions and situations of their territories that they had visited. The group formed by the members of the Tang-Ulin and the Tang-Naopang would be the one to give the report. The main executives in the Hloukal are the addressees of this information. The reason is, they were the ULIN-LAMVA. Ulin means senior or elder, while Lamva means going to roads or wilderness. Therefore, the second day of the festival was also generally called ULIN LAMVA.

The Tang-Ulin and the Tang-Naopang would report about the situations of their surroundings. The reports were also submitted in the form of songs in those days. Two RUIs would sit at their front, facing the village executives. The Tang-Ulin, being the elder, would be the first to give the report. Soon after, his assistant, TANG-NAOPANG would also give his report supporting the claims of his senior. Soon after the reports and some discussions and performing rites, the elders in the Hloukal would perform the most difficult dance form called, HUCHAMPLAK LAAM.

LAAM means dance and Huchamplak means lightning. It is a war dance that demands unlimited agility and utmost skills in martial arts. Dances and songs were soon performed by the revelers and the village officials. However, prior permission was taken from the village chief (Hulaak) to perform dances. Even chatting, laughing and making jokes with one another were performed in a disciplined manner. The Hulaak was given the utmost respect by the villagers. On the third day, the traditions involving the festival were called LAMMUN LAMVA.

On this day, the villagers in general, and the village's officials were distributed into five groups. Each group performed different rituals and all the groups were, however, interrelated. The names of the groups were SIRTHING-LAAK, THING-INLAAK, RUNTHAR-ULIN, RUNTHAR-NAOPANG, and LAMMUN. On this day, the Tang-Ulin (Tang-Ulin was the name of the group and also used to refer its leader) would go in the thick forest and stay at an undisclosed location. The members of the Lammun group would have to search for him.

The Lammun would carry with them a huge jar of wine that was specially made for the festival and referred to as RIN ZUBEL (JAR OF WINE OF THE FESTIVAL). They carried the wine for the ritual called CHIHOU, and their journey for the purpose was known as CHIHOU SEH. They ran, instead of walking, all the way to the forest and locate the Tang-Ulin. It was taboo to spill a drop of the wine on the way. There, at the place where the Tang-Ulin was, the HULUDENGPA sprinkle the wine on the ground in the direction of the Tang-Ulin, as a way of offering some portions to their deities. This rite is called CHIHOU.

Continuing the rite, the participants would dance and sing songs at the hill/mountain where the Tang-Ulin was, as were done in festival back home. On the fourth day, the activities of festival were known as MUH LING NI, that is, the day of planting the seed. On this day, the Lammun group would go to the forest and chop a large bamboo (RUPI), considered the best of all. The bamboo should not bend and be very smooth. They brought this bamboo at the Lamaan, the seat of deity Lunchungpa.

The Tang-Ulin group would plant this bamboo at a previously selected spot. The bamboo was further made smoother before being planted. After that, songs accompanied by musical instruments were sung at the location. To the cry of applauses and encouragement, the members of the aforementioned five groups would compete in climbing up to the top of the bamboo post, at the shortest time. The festival came to an end for day after continued merry making. The fifth day of the festival was also known as HUNGTE INLAM PAAL.

On this day, revelers led by the Tang-Ulin would begin dancing from the house of KHIYAANG clansman. This dance was called VAILAAM. In this Vailaam dance form, participants formed a straight long line and entered a location while simultaneously dancing. The dance was accompanied by the chorus that went like TLAANKHUP, TLAANKHUP. The dance was started from the house of a KHIYAANG clansman. The festival of the day started thereon. In the afternoon, a rite called NEEMZIR SE was performed.

Performing this rite, the head of the Tang-Ulin, who was at the same time addressed as the Tang-Ulin would go up the mountains through thick forests. He would carry a wine called NEEMZU, prepared from chaffs and hide in the forests. While approaching the forests to hide, it was taboo to meet him. If anyone meets him on his way, the one which saw him or the Tang-Ulin himself would meet his death or fall into dangers. When he was on hiding, he was guided by spirits or fairies.

Subsequently, a member of the Tang-Naopang and the members of Lammun would go to the forests to search the Tang-Ulin. This rite was known as NEEMZIR SEH. When they found the Tang-Ulin, they did not speak to him. They struck the sleeping Tang-Ulin with leaves (ARIBU) for three times. The Tang-Ulin woke up after that. Without speaking a word, he would drink wine a specified amount of wine (ZURAM) for three times. Just after that, he prepared to proceed to the village back home (INRAM).

He and the search party would return towards the village. While on their way back, they would go to the LAMAAN (seat of Lungchungpa) and the search party would sing a song for three times. Then, they entered the residence (INN) of the Hulpu clansman. At the house, they will drink the wine together for three rounds. Only after that, the Tang-Ulin would start to speak. The sixth day of the festival was known as NONGPEE. Since the day was Nongpee, the members of the Hloukal would formally announce the commencement of the festival while leading the festivities, at the same time.

The festival of this day was started from the residence of HANCHA. Singing and dancing were inseparable with a Chothe festival. After that, the dancers and revelers entered the residence of HITHAANG and continued the merry makings. The dance form called, CHAMTLUN LAAM was performed on this day. The revelers and dancers would again enter the residence of HUNCHAL. Dancing and singing, the revelers would visit the houses of important village officials in the following order.

1. HANCHA
2. HITHAANG
3. HUNCHAL
4. YUPAAL
5. HULUDENGPA
6. POTCHOI ULIN
7. YUZONG-ULIN AND
8. RUI-TOLPA.

This tradition of visiting the houses on this day was called INLAMPAAL. The Tang-Ulin group led this rite. After singing all the songs and the conclusion of INLAMPAAL, the revelers visited the residence of the MAKAN clansman. This was called BULTUM LUT. After the BULTUM LUT, the revelers proceeded towards the Ruishang. The village's chief Hulaak and his assistant Luklaak were carried out to the Ruisang on palanquins (STAI). Continuing the festivities, the revelers proceeded towards Lamaan (the seat of Lunchungpa) and performed a program called LEE LAAN HLAK.

In this program, the revelers would drink wine that were kept in jars with small bamboo pipes, and pass it around among themselves. Soon after that, they competed in a game called HAIBAKVA. In this game, the participants carried wine with a specially made ladle or spoon called ZUBAI. Music will be played and drums (HUNG) were quickly played. To the sound of the music, the competitors would run to a defined distance without spilling the wine. Later, the HUCHAMPLAK dance was performed. Concluding the festival for the day, Hulpu clansmen would offer a special prayer called LAICHAL to Lungchungpa. The chief and his assistant were carried back home on palanquins and the festival concluded.

The seventh day of the festival was also known an ARUK ASANG ZU IN NEE. It means the day for drinking six rounds of wine by the village officials called ASANG. Nothing important was performed or organized on this day, since it was the last day of the festival. Each ASANG would drink six rounds of wine. Then, the revelers would offer a type of curry ANRUL POI to Lungchungpa and the festival ends there. AYU-HAILENG RIN: Ayu-haileng rin is celebrated for seven consecutive days from the first day of the week. The phrase 'Ayu-haileng' literary means 'hanging the rats'.

In those ancient days, humans were sacrificed to the deity called ROKUNGPU every year, and who was believed to belong to the Paarpa-Rakung clan. At that time, this festival was originally called PAARPA-NGEI RIN which means festival of the Paarpa clans. On the day of human sacrifice, drums and musical instruments were played by the villagers. People avoided venturing out of their houses on this day. Villagers used to ask themselves, whose child would be sacrificed today.

The child of the family who worried too much turned out to be the victim, say the elders. The tradition of human sacrifice caused untold miseries to the tribe. Therefore, wise elders of the Chothes organized and resolved to stop human sacrifice. They started to sacrifice rats in place of humans. Since then, the festival was known as AYU HAILENG RIN.

To be continued....