Zawlbuk and its abolition in Mizo society

H Thangtungnung *

Lushai (Mizo) presentation at Chin-kuki Group Folk Dance Festival in May 2009

The Mizos were rich in culture and traditions orally passed down from one generation to another. Their traditions and customary practices underwent drastic changes since the colonial period. While many of them are lost today, many of the existing ones are used in a modified form.

Zawlbuk was a social institution which existed for many centuries until it was abolished under the colonial rule in 1938. It had many social advantages in the tribal society even when it was abolished. It could not surpass the numerous social and cultural changes which underwent the Mizo society during the period. Therefore, it had to meet its early demise though its continuous existence might do better for the Mizo society than any harm.

There were two main agents or forces of these changes—the British administration and Christianity. As the newly converted Mizos thought that their tribal culture was inconsistent to Christian practices, they opted for abolitions. As such, head hunting, sacrifices and rituals, superstitious beliefs, bawi (servitude) system and traditional practice of drinking Zu (fermented rice beer) were obliterated. The other areas touched by colonial rule as well as Christianity were marriages, death and burial, tribal music and songs, health and hygine and treatment of diseases which sought to abolish priesthood rituals.

A very important social change in the Mizo society was the abolition of Zawlbuk, or a bachelor's dormitory, an important social institution. Zawlbuk was a place where young boys spent the night by sleeping together in a group. It was also a place where they were trained and shaped into responsible adults and much of their lives were moulded here. It could well be said that it was an alternative to modern schooling.

Each village had one or more Zawlbuk but certainly in a big village like Selesih, there were more than seven Zawlbuk within the heart of the village. It was usually attached to the chief's house or not very far away from it. It was here that all kinds of lives and good values were imparted. It also served as a convenient guest house for any visitor from outside. In cases of emergency, the young men could congregate therein to discuss new issues. It was an ideal place to pool together resources required to counter raids or attacks on the village. The chief acted as the head of the Zawlbuk, assisted by the Val Upa or his head cabinet as commander-in-chief.

Despite its advantages, the Zawlbuk gave way to new social, educational, religious and cultural values associated with the British administrators and missionaries. The First World War hastened its abolition as many young Lushais were recruited for War service and in their absence, the Zawlbuk could not be run effectively. In addition, these recruits returned home after the War with a new outlook and practised modern ways of living which were at variance with the traditional institution of Zawlbuk.

What is remarkable is that the decrease in importance and abolition of the institution was brought about by the Lushai themselves and not the administration or the missionaries. Instead, many British officers and missionaries like N.E. Parry and F.J. Raper tried to revive it. Parry, the Superintendent of the Lushai Hills even issued orders to the chiefs directing them to revive it when he assumed office in 1926. Raper sensitised the youth to sustain the values of the Zawlbuk and as a District Commissioner for Boy Scouts in the Lushai Hills provided them with material aid but to no avail. McCall, who succeeded Parry was of the same opinion but at a Public Meeting on 1 January, 1938 at Aizawl, he was rather fully convinced to revoke Parry's order and the Zawlbuk met with an early demise.

Reasons for Abolition:

The most important reasons for the disuse and abolition of the Zawlbuk system were:

(i) Reduction of the chiefs' powers under the Colonial regime.
(ii) The role and impact of Christianity.
(iii) The introduction of modern formal education.
(iv) The role of the youth who took active part in the First World War.
(v) Modern outlook and Western approach of living adopted by the Lushais.
(vi) Abolition of head hunting which eliminated the need to deliberate on raids and counter raids.
(vii) The apparent and complete deterioration of the Zawlbuk discipline at latter times.
(viii) The system had lost its status and importance by the turn of the twentieth century.
(ix) The Lushais no longer favoured its existence because it involved a burden of obligation and responsibilities like supplying firewood to the Zawlbuk.

Consequences of Zawlbuk Abolition:

(i) The disappearance of the Zawlbuk resulted in the extinction of a unique indigenous cultural practice.
(ii) It deprived the youth of learning from oral tradition about their history and culture.
(iii) Although modern education, way of life and Christian ethical values brought many benefits to the Lushais, it also resulted in an almost complete disregard and discredition of the old values and traditional practices by the young people.
(iv) However, male heads of families were now free to devote more time to their individual families and assist in bringing up their children and sharing household responsibilities. This had a rippling effect- ties within the family became stronger.

Was the Abolition of Zawlbuk a necessity?

The abolition of the Zawlbuk was in fact not necessary. It was not against Christian ideals or in contradictory to modernisation and development. As such, many Christian missionaries did not make any attempt to do away with it. Rather, they wanted to ensure its survival when it was on the waned. Rev. F.J Raper of the Baptist Mission took the initiative for its revival but with not a success.

The existence of indigenous Zawlbuk was not against administrative norms. In fact, the administrators like N.E. Parry was so much convinced with the role played by this system in the social and personal lives of the Lushais that he was quite upset at the thought of its sudden extinction. Therefore, he wished to see it restored that he took administrative measures in the form of directions to each and every chiefs.

Moreover, the supply of firewood, though it might be enforced by rule was not really burdensome or oppressive. If each house contributed a stick of wood, it was sufficient for the day. Firewood would have been collected anyway for kitchen use by every household even if Zawlbuk did not exist. Thus, one need not venture out separately for its collection for the purpose of the Zawlbuk only. A day's need implied collection of just one bundle daily. So also the water needs of the Zawlbuk brought by girls were not oppressive.

After a man married, he was free to leave the Zawlbuk which was in essence a bachelor's dormitory. Sometimes though a married man continued to spend his time with friends at the Zawlbuk and neglected his home affairs, his spouse and children, attendance at the Zawlbuk every night was not compulsory though the norms differed from village to village. Zawlbuk was not by itself an impediment to learning (formal education) as young men attended the Zawlbuk and not children of school going age.

Therefore, even if the Zawlbuk discipline had to be abolished, it was still too early to venture it by that time. There was nothing much about the social complexity in maintaining the system in the society. It was only the mood and changed perspective of the public which hastened its inexistence. After all, nothing is impeccable.

Sangkima, a Mizo historian remarked— "The end of Zawlbuk seemed very certain in the minds of some sections of the people even long before the decision was made at the public meeting. These people were the missionaries, their colleagues and some local people, contributing ideas and dwelling on their thoughts this elite group frequently met together at the missionaries' residence trying to evolve a formula for the formation of a suitable organisation that could have played the role of Zawlbuk in the society even after it was abolished. Their untiring efforts did not remain fruitless."

Some sections of society grieved the extinction of the Zawlbuk that they exerted their efforts to safeguard it, and if this fails, to find any other alternative. On a rainy day on the 4th and 5th June, 1935, the same people congregated and discussed the matter. After a long and thorough deliberation, the meeting decided to form a new organisation- Young Lushai Association along the lines of the Young Welsh Association. It was Rev. David Edward, a Presbyterian Missionary, who coined this name. It was later changed into Young Mizo Association in October, 1948. The formation of this and some other organisations was in part a direct result of colonial rule.

Conclusion: The impact of Colonial rule in the Mizo society is still felt till today. The British rule brought about Western education and Christian religion. These agents were mainly responsible for social changes in the Mizo society. The changes led to demoralisation of the Lushai people to a great extent till today. It also resulted into imitation and adoption of the Western culture. This led to relegation of their aged old traditions and values.

These are also due to the early abolition of Zawlbuk system. It was here that young boys learnt every type of informal education, arts and history, folktales and songs which shaped their moral and ethical conducts. When it was abolished, there was no other alternative as formal education introduced by Christian missionaries could not adequately fill the gap.