Traditional knowledge system in hunting method among the Zeliangrong of Manipur
- Part 3 -

Budha Kamei *

A Scene from 'The Zeliangrongs' :: Provided by Director - Ronel Haobam

Tengka-pha is a U shaped small trap used to catch birds by leg. Pei (village council) decides the date of mass hunting. But, hunting is prohibited during the agricultural season. Among all the Naga tribes of Manipur from the first day of the crop genna to the final harvest, "hunting, fishing etc. are strictly forbidden lest the grain in the corn be lost." The Zeliangrong, "do not take so much to hunting," although they often used poison and dams to capture fish. On the day, before going for hunting an elder of Pei performs omen by ginger (Guhlim Daan Sanmei ) at the abode of Northern village presiding deity ( Kaipi Bambu) in search of good sign.

If the omen is good, then all the young men of the village will go for hunting to the jungle with their spears and dogs. They also offer either an egg or chicken to the goddess of birds and beast locally known as Champei for a successful hunting. When a successful hunt takes place, all the villagers hold a great feast of the killed animals normally at the bachelors' dormitory (Khangchiu).

As per custom, the person who first injures the animal is entitled to its head ( Shupi Ramei ), which he does hang in his house as a trophy. Although hunting rights are restricted by the boundaries of the village land, beyond which game already started may be pursued, but outside which fresh game may not be hunted or sought for, snaring rights are not so limited. It is well recognized that snares may be set on the land of another village, and where the respective villages are friendly they will be allowed to remain.

The ownership of the game caught in snares is not always respected, and it is not regarded as a punishable theft to take birds from another man's snare, though it is looked on as a low thing to do. Beliefs in dream associated symbols and signs determine the day of a hunter among the Zeliangrong. To dream of chopping and carrying of firewood is a positive sign. It is also believed that dreaming of receiving guests in the house is another good sign for success in hunting.

"Every Angami Naga dreams before going a-hunting and believes most heartily in the truth of such prognostications, and, at any rate with certain dreamers, these hunting dreams have a remarkable way of coming true." Therefore, dream is highly counted in determining the daily life and activities of the Zeliangrong. In addition, they have some beliefs while going for a hunt. To go with spear placing horizontally on their shoulder means some impending danger of being hurt by wild animals.

In an outing, if one's finger is bitten by lizard, they believe that the man will not achieve success in hunting for the whole year. Hornbill is regarded with reverence by them, but they do not hesitate to kill, and take the flesh as a great delicacy. Pairs of birds in the nest made in the holes of tree trunk, and the entrance facing towards the west, they consider them under the protection of gods. They never take the birds out of it as such interference will be followed by misfortune and bad consequences.

They don't consider other directions except west. Among the Meiteis, even after accepting the Hinduism, hunting was, until recently, enjoyed out with full zeal and enthusiasm as a form of sport and pastime. The historical texts provide records on conducting of royal hunting expeditions. Apart from this, they had to hunt wild animals out of the motive of defending their settled social life against the wild animals that abounded in their habitat here and there in the valley.

Individual successful hunter got royal reward in the form of highly valued clothes, paddy-field etc. T. C Hodson mentioned about Keirup , meaning tiger club, which was responsible to the authorities for the upkeep in proper order of nets and spears in enough quantity. An alike institutional arrangement incorporating hunting activities in the administrative system is observed in the office recognized as Sharung Hanba that prominently did exist in the administrative system of the famous Moirang principality of the ancient past in the history of Manipur.

The Ao Nagas are not great hunters. When the wild hogs begin to destroy their rice fields all the healthy men of the village turn out. They divide into two groups and go in search of the raiders. Having located the pigs, some of the men are left to encircle them, sometimes building fires to surround them. A number of men then go away some distance to build a V-shaped fence by driving stakes into the ground closely together. After this, the young men drive the pigs into the enclosure while the older men, spear in hand, take their positions on a platform built over the apex of the fence, from which they spear the pigs as they come rushing along.

After the killing is over, the fence is cut to pieces for future success in hunting. The young men of the dormitory carry the killed animals to the village, where the meat is distributed among all the villagers. The old men receive the lower part of the legs and also the heads of the pigs. If when the process of division is going on, a stranger should arrive from another village he would receive the largest pig as a gift. Of this he would take the head and one hind leg only, dividing the remainder among his friends or among members of his own sib if there be any in the village.

In the evening, the women of the village gather before the bachelors' hall and sing their songs of praise to the old men who have been gallant in war and also to the men for killing a large number of wild pigs. The next day the whole village observe genna. Like the Zeliangrong, they also climb trees and cut off branches on which the monkeys are hanging, letting them fall to the ground. This method can be used only on rare occasions. Among the Tanghkul, hunting is a good and popular game.

Group hunting with hounds is the most popular form of hunting. The dogs ( Safa are sent into the thickets to drive out animals from the forest, while the hunters with spears, waited along the ridges or gorges of hillocks; the common games are wild-boar, bear, barking-deer and sometimes tiger. However, the big animals are trapped in the pitfalls or are concerned in a particular place by picketing.

Making traps with logs of wood and digging pits are of high technique, and are mostly done by warriors. Such traps are made in deep forest. One of the interesting forms of hunting is Vakhong. There are thousands of big Uningthou (Michelia Champaca) trees in the forest of Siroy Hill, Ukhrul District. There, high on the trees, small basins are made by axing out into the main branches, and put water in them.

The birds while feeding on the fruits of the trees, immediately see the water, and feel convenient to get a drink from the artificial tanks where traps have been laid. Basketful of birds was caught in that way in the past. The birds are called Shiri after the name of Siroy where these good birds are available in abundance.

For hunting the Andamanese depend fully upon the bow and arrow. Since they have had dogs they occasionally make hunting spears, but they did not do so in former times. They make no use of any method of trapping game or birds. In hunting deer the Negritos of Zambales use large net like fish net.

To be continued..