The Zeliangrong lifecycle: Rites and ceremonies
- Part 5 -

Budha Kamei *

Gaan Ngai Celebrations at New Delhi on January 30 2010 :: Pix by Anthony Gangmei

The only distinction between such a separation and that of death is that the later is final. The moment when the final separation is accomplished, the liberated soul takes flight. It is believed that the soul commonly escapes by the natural openings of the body such as the mouth and nostrils. Among the Zeliangrongs, death of a man is believed to be the departure of soul called Buh permanently from the momentary body for its journey to the land of death locally called Taroilam. Thus, death is not the end of life, but it is just a change of way of life of the soul.

Regarding the origin of death, the legend of the Zeliangrong speaks, 'there was once a time when men did not die, for there was a wonderful tree whose bark would cure all ills, would even bring the dead back to life. One day, the children brought the bark from the wrapping in which it was kept inside, and put it in the sun while they played.

The sun stole it, knowing full well its wondrous power. Their faithful dog rushed after the thief and ate him up. But so powerful was the medicine of the bark that the sun recovered even after this rough treatment. Since then men have died because they no longer know the tree of life'. Thus, the people explain regarding the origin of death of man.

The process and the moment of death are regarded as occasion of the most serious crisis in many religions. The Zeliangrong people take so much care of the sick man. When death approaches, all the close relatives are called and gathered around the man for biding farewell. The relatives who assemble there will pray to Tingkao Ragwang to allow him entry in 'His Heavenly abode.' At the same moment, it is a compulsory duty on the part of the family members [parents or children] to try their best to comfort the dying man to let his soul depart peacefully. This is called Teimumloumei. Thus, the person passes away. When death takes place, they announce the fact by loud cries. The ancient Tibetian Budhists saying: "When you are born, you cry, and the world rejoices, when you die, you rejoice and the world cries."

Like other Naga tribes, the Zeliangrongs also remove a sick man out of bed and allow him to die on the mat. It is supposed to avoid the death pollution upon the bed. Similarly, direct contact between the corpse and the earth is prevented to keep away from pollution.

Albert Smith writes, "Tears are the safety-valves of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it". The women are the principal mourners, and they continue to sob and shriek and mourn until they are forced to cease from absolute exhaustion. During funeral ceremony, women and children lament and the father stands apart, a picture of silent grief. William J. Goode says, the solidarity of the family is temporarily broken by the removal of an integral part, and the collective mourning and ritual serve to realign the unity in an emotionally satisfactory and socially approved manner.

As soon as the soul leaves the body, the person is declared death, then, a ritual called Kahoroumei is performed by an elder of Pei, village council who presents there. The elder who acts as priest very close to the head of the deceased will pronounce: Ho-Ou-We Kumeipu/Kumeilure Rampingreo Kumeipu Aai Naiye, meaning: 'you go without fear'. The words Ho-Ou-We signifies toward Tingkao Ragwang, the Supreme God that this man is no more. And the word Ho symbolizes chanting the name of Tingkao Ragwang.

This is followed by another ritual called Gu Kashet Keimei, ginger offering. In this ritual, the same elder with a piece of ginger and a plantain leaf cup of water will pour near the fireplace called Mhaimung for the departed soul. The main objective of this ritual is believed to show the dead man the right way to go [on his way to Taroilam] as pure as clean and cold water.

Among the Zeliangrongs, the dead body is not interred only by the family. All the villagers take part in the funeral. Under this obligation, a formal announcement is made by an elder of Pei to make it known to all the villagers. This is called Kailong Kaomei. As soon as the news reaches one's ear everyone stops their works as a mark of condolence.

Moreover, it is a taboo because the dead is unclean and it also pollutes the whole village which ultimately demands purification. No marriages, festivals or any public worship can be performed within the village until the funeral has been completed. The villagers will bring gifts such as wine, rice, money to the bereaved family as a sign of sympathy.

Then, the dead is bathed with a haircut by using the Khoi, a kind of tree bark. This is called Duiloumei. In olden days, the bark of Khoi was used in washing or bathing. It is believed that if the dead is washed with Khoi, it is clean and pure. Bathing the body is a universal symbol of inner purification. Another idea of cleansing the dead is to avoid the defilement of death. If the deceased is a male, washing and dressing is carried out by male folk and in case of female; it is done by the womenfolk. After bath, the dead is adorned with new cloth and placed on his bed called Kalangdai saying: 'Ho-ou-we.' The whole body is covered with a traditional cloth like, Masinphei or Mareipan or Pheingao or Leirumphei. It is believed that if the dead comes with a bath, he is well-received in another world.

Taroimei means the dead man in local dialect. For the Taroimei, fly called Shim is supposed to be his Kashu Kari, evil spirits or enemy. In this belief, fly is not allowed to come and sit on the dead body. One of the chief mourners [family members] with the leaves of Parin cheng, a kind of tree relatives will fan over the dead body to drive off the flies. It is said that the evil spirits dislike or scare to the Parin cheng. This is locally known as Shimhamei.

Like living being, the dead man also feels thirsty. In this faith, they prepare special food available in the family like a fowl or a duck or even an egg etc. for the dead. For offering food, a small pit is dug near the bed of the deceased. An elder of Pei who officiates as priest will pour a little food such as rice, curry, wine and water etc. into the pit pronouncing: 'You go without thirsty'. The offering of food will continue with an interval till the dead body is placed inside the coffin. The members of the dormitory in which the deceased belongs will offer wine for the dead. This is locally known as Joukarumei. Arnold Van Gennep opines, drinking with the dead is an act of incorporation with him.

If death happens at night, the young men of the village will come at the residence of the deceased and stay the whole night. The custom of wake is arisen from the belief that the spirit of the dead person hovers about the corpse between death and burial. If any one in the house sleeps, he is liable to encounter the soul in dreams, and to sicken in consequence. So, the watchers ask riddles and play games to keep wake. This custom is known as Miklakmei.

It is a custom of the people to convey news of the dead to all the relatives and freinds living in other villages whom it may concern to come and attend the funeral. It is done by sending youths of the village. The messengers are suggested to come back as soon as possible before sunset. There is a belief that if the funeral is completed before they return home, the spirit of the deceased may give trouble to them on the way of returning.

In Zeliangrong society, it is a custom on the part of the family or lineage to offer Takan, an animal or a bird for the dead. A small portion of all parts of the victim is removed and cooked by the members of Pei. The cooked food of Takan will be included in making the food packets for the dead. If a dog is sacrificed, it is believed that the dog will protect him from evil spirits and will take the message ahead to the land of the dead and to his relatives of his coming.

Evans-Pritchard writes, "His soul will go along with the soul of the sacrifice animal". If the deceased is a married woman, it is a custom to offer an animal or a bird as Theigui for the dead by her parents or brothers. It is done in the belief that the woman to be born again in her father's lineage. This custom is locally known as Theigui Loumei. The cooked curry of Theigui is also offered in the same manner of the above into the pit. The maternal uncle of the woman also will offer a fowl as a part of Theigui otherwise it is believed that the soul of the woman will go to the land of the dead by biting her finger with cheerless.

Tangku, meanig coffin, is a closed receptacle for a corpse. Its purpose is to protect the body from external influences and add dignity to the corpse. Although, in the past some have believed that it may confine the spirit of the deceased. Possibly its original intention was to protect the living from visits of the dead. Another idea of wanting a coffin is deemed desirable to protect the body from earth and it is done by means of the niche or recess at the bottom of the grave shaft.

In the beginning, man started to use bark, skins and mats to wrap the dead body prior to burial. In course of time, coffin made of wood was employed. Wood is the usual material for a coffin. The use of coffin began in the early 3rd millennium BCE in Sumer and Egypt. In the morning of the funeral, the youths of the male's dormitory will collect required wood from the forest for making the coffin. This is called Tangku Doumei.

Kaiphum Phumei means to locate and decide the location of the burial place. The place or location of the burial is often consulted the dying man's own wishes. In preparing the grave, the ground is first excavated by the son of the deceased with a Laogai [a small iron spade] after offering of holy wine. In absence of the son, a near male relation of the deceased is selected for the office. This is known as Kaiphun phumei. The offering of holy wine is for the mother earth.

The grave is believed to be the residence of the departed and efforts are made to render it as comfortable as circumstances permit. Tarou Chaomei, meaning grave digging, is done by the young men of the village under the supervision of an elder. Care is taken in digging the grave that in which direction the head of the deceased will place. Usually, it is determined on the western direction because east indicates to life and west to death. If a new grave is found, a coin is dropped as a price of the grave. This is known as Taroumantimei. And if the grave belongs to the same lineage of the deceased, it is not paid.

The size of the grave varies according to the physical condition of the deceased. Normally, it is dug in right angle to the depth of four or five feets and at the bottom of the grave a niche is excavated to insert the coffin. R. Brown writes that the grave of Zeliangrongs is thus prepared: a trench is first made, and at right angles to this the ground is excavated and a recess made, into which the coffin is inserted, the earth being afterwards filled in. The son or a near male relative of the deceased will begin to excavate the niche with a Laogai after offering of holy wine. This is locally known as Taroubam Langmei.

The recess is made in the logic that when a baby borns, he comes out from his mother with its head forward and when he dies due to old age, he is supposed to return with its feet forward inside the mother earth. The niche symbolizes the womb of human being. It is believed that the grave is the home of the dead man. So every effort is made to comfort the departed soul.

If a portion of the grave falls in excavating the niche, then, an elder of Pei will offer holy wine in the grave saying: 'Nangkaiphun Chaolang Laina Nangkai Hanjaidat tho Natou Nanata Renamai Tilouleo. When the excavation of the niche is completed, a small line is drawn by an elder with his finger just near the niche. This is called Kanungduipang Hekmei in local dialect. Kanungdui is the mythical river which symbolizes the boundary between life and death.

Then, a man with the fire of thatching grass will wave inside the grave by way of purification called Maihammei. Another idea of contacting fire is probably to give warm, light and comfort the soul on his way to the other world. It may also mean to ward off the evil forces. According to Dictionary of Anthropology, the fire at or enroute to the funeral are probably to warm and light the spirit, as well as to put off the ghost.

Then, the dead is attired in his best traditional clothes and costume. It is believed that in the land of the dead, everything is opposite so in dressing also they make it opposite of the living being does. There is a custom that when a man dies they create a mark on some part of the body with soot. In near future, a child is born in the family with a similar mark; it is believed that the dead man is born again. A coin is also put in the mouth of the dead which is intended to pay to the ferry for crossing the Kanungdui. When the dressing is completed, the family will offer wine to the participants. This is called Ponshujoujangmei.

Ponshujoujangmei is followed by Theipahdapmei. In this ritual, an elder of Pei who acts as priest kills a fowl in front of the bed of the deceased by striking it once on the ground pronouncing: Kumeile Hei Nangtheiphathide, meaning this [name of the deceased to be cited here] is your food. The victim is roasted and cut into small pieces. Then, it is cooked by the old women of kengjapui and rice is also cooked for the dead.

To be continued .....