Symbolism in the Tribal Art of Manipur
- Part 3 -

Mutua Bahadur *

Mutua Bahadur speaking at Interactive Lecture series on 15 January 2019, at CMS, Library Hall, Manipur University

Symbolism in the Tribal Art of Manipur
Mutua Bahadur
Cultural Activist & Member, Kangla Fort Board.

(Presented as the key speaker in the Interactive Lecture series organised by Centre for Manipur Studies, Manipur University, 15 January 2019, at CMS, Library Hall)

Cross Shaped Sign or Chirong

After the construction of the house, in order to add beauty and grace to the house and to self-identify the tribe in his chirong or crossshaped piece is erected on top of tribal houses. After the addition of friezes of jhalur and the chirong on the roof of the houses, the completion of the house construction is formally recognized. For the Koide' Purul and Oinam villages, either bamboo or wood replicas are made, with sharp pointed ends, projecting in front of the Jhalur. They call these points Shou.

Unless this shou is added on top of the roofs, the house construction is not complete. After the preparation of the shou, later erection of the chirrrong and fixing of jhulur is done. Then and then, only the house is regarded as complete. The chirrong on the tribal houses are of two kinds. One is the type made from the extension of jhalur and the other one is which is fixed separately, at a place slightly lower than the front end of the roof.

These chirrongs on the top of tribal roofs are easily designed from traditional motifs like insects and flowers. On the top of them, cock and bird representations are carved. The plainer models of insects and flowers have holes like eyes. Because of the larger size of these eyes, the Chirongs are not disturbed by winds or gale. Larger size Chirongs have supports at the rear portion of the same. At Thangal (Koirao) houses also these chirong are customary,

At the umanglai temple of the Meeteis, and also the rath structure of Jaganath (kang) have chirong on top. At Andro, the panam Ningthou Shong, tf,. Ahallup pana Shang, and the Kosos,(dormitory of boys and girls with raised platforms for the Panam Ningthou haraoba festival) have all Chirongs fixed on the roofs. Most of these Andro shangs (houses) have customary practice of fixing Chirongs in front as well as the rear of the roofs.

The tribals of Manipur could have had an earlier practice of this kind, but nowadays it is not visible. The Chirus also had a peculiar practice of using coiled thatch leaves as the Chirongs. At traditional Meetei houses, thatch roofs have extended coils which are kept hidden below the front portion of the roofs.

The tribals of Manipur often give sacred names to the Chirongs. The Mao term it Ki kai, the northern Mao call it Ki chai. The Tangkhul - Lengcheng and Phen; the Marings - Indrika, the Kabuis - Kai chai, the Andro - Laichi, the Meetei - Chirrong or Kai, the Chiru - Koungnap Riki and the Purul - Chiki.

After painting or carving beautiful figures of the flowers on the jhalur. It was customary to follow the traditional practice and continue the motifs. At some areas it was also customary to paint spears on these jhalur. Some of the colours used of these jhalur are red, white and green. Instead of painting the jhalur there was also another practice of carving different human forms as relief on the same. There was however no carving practice on these Chirongs except at Purul (puki -chief ‘s house).

The Tangkhuls used the practice of having different geometrical designs and star symbols on the Chirongs. Most of the colours used are white. At some Tangkhul villages, only the Chirongs, on the roofs of tribal chiefs were painted green, and others don't have the colours.

For the Kabuis there were geometrical designs on the Chirongs, in the same manner as the designs on the houses. The Kabuis used the colour white and black. The Kabuis used to fix these Chirongs only during the marriage or ceremonial seasons. At other times, the Chirongs were removed and kept fixed on the main roof support of the house. The Kabuis of Nungadang do not refix the Chirongs, once their elders died.

[See Picture 8: Varities of Chirong or cross-shaped sign: 1. Wooden painted white, Tangkhul Nungbi village. 2.Wooden painted black & white. Kabui: Thanagong. Khoupum village. 3.-7., 9., 11., 12., Zinc: Mao. 8. Wooden carving ; Andro. 10. Wooden: Paomai, Paomata village.]

[See Picture 9: Varieties of Chirong or cross-shaped sign: 13. Zinc; Mao. 14., 15., Wooden; Paomai, Oinam. 16. – 24. Zinc ;Mao. 25. Zinc; Paomai, Paomata village. 26. Wooden carved; Paomai, Purul village.]

Soul Figures and Effigy

The tribal of Manipur associated carving and painting traditionally with mortuary rites too. In order to represent the soul of the dead ancestors and to reflect on their achievements and qualities, the tribals used to carve on wood and these were erected with due ceremony and pomp. The Kabuis remembered their dead ancestors with the erection of large stone slabs with engravings of various kinds of pictures on them.

The experiences of tribal heroes during their lifetime were consecrated by their families after the death of their fathers, with the carvings of these experiences on wood, along with the soul figures being placed beyond the village gate, in the middle of the village, and also at the burial site of these dead heroes. The Tangkhuls-near the Manipur Myanmar border used to perform a ceremony called Kisida before the end of the yearly cycle.

They place the carvings or paintings of the experiences of the dead hero in middle of the village in order to communicate the achievements of the hero. If the dead man had been able to take the heads of enemies, they search for a type of wood in the jungle which has forked branches, cut it and bring it to the village.

They carve the soul of the dead hero, just below the fork and erect the wood in the middle of the village. If the hero had also killed animals or tigers over and above head hunting, the animals were drawn on the banana pulp with charcoal and kept aside the erected wood.

The tribals inhabiting the Choro village near the Myanmar Border celebrate thadamtha ceremony a week after the death of the man when the achievements of the same are carved and consecrated. If the man had killed a tiger, the head of the tiger was carved on wood and tied to the post erected on the grave of the man.

If other animals had been killed, certain bamboo strips were planted on the grave, and the number of animals killed are represented by pieces of wood fixed on to the bamboo. Over and above this, his family kill a lot of animals, and these heads of animals are hung on the forks of wood, the flesh having been fed to the community.

To be continued ....