Lhurhui (cubicle), 31;
scene of Epuetha, 132;
tsoyuta, 148, 154;
omen mat placed in, 153;
death chicken’s wings chopped on step of, 159
Life after death, 20, 118, 119;
see also Dead, The Land of the.
Lightning, customs regarding, 163;
connected with rheumatism, 166
Likam: see Rangsikam.
Lime, 82
Limhachan, legendary ancestor of Tompyaktserre phratry, 3, 88
Lingta, first spear, q.v.
Linguistic groups:
Aos, xxx, xx;
Rengmas, xxxi;
S. Konyaks, xxxi;
Angamis, xiv, xxxi, xxxii, xxxviii;
Lhotas, xiv, xxxii, xxxviii
Liritang, reaping ceremony, 54–56;
offering to oha stones prior to, 168
Lisio village, decay and revival of customs in, xii [245]
Lisü “genna,” fertility ceremony, xxx, n. 1
Live-stock, 59–63;
abandoned in case of “apotia,” 161
Liye, right bank of Dayang Lhotas, 3 n. 1;
dialect, 207
Lizard, beliefs regarding, 116;
aid to delivery, 145
Loans, customs as to, 45
Lobeni, dream woman, 170 n. 2
Locusts, in omen-taking, 127
Loko, cotton cleaning bow, 36
Lolo tribe, burn dead, xxiv n. 1
Longchacharr, Ao clan corresponding to Kikung, 92
Longcham, scene of Rampham’s exploits, 197
Longchethang, ancestor of Muri, Othui, and other clans, 90, 167
Long-tailed Broadbills not eaten, 76
Loom described, 38
Loroesü, married woman’s cloth, 11;
first wearing of, 150
Lotsü village, founding of, 5, 91;
Puthi’s son dies “apotia,” 161 n. 1
Lozema, Lhotas and Semas part at, 4
Lung, hole in, repaired by ratsen, 166
Lungchakdhro, chicken sacrificer, 142
Lungcham, legendary village, 4, 5
Lungitang village, S. Sangtam in, 4;
Sempinguli clan in, 90;
clubs for mock fighting, 110 n. 2
Lungla village, Sempinguli clan in, 90
Lungpensü, Stone-dragger’s cloth, 10, 11
Lungsa village, meaning of name, 21;
feud with Pungkitung, 101 n. 1
Lungsachung village, story of founding, 5
Lushai Hills, traces of terrace cultivation, xx
Lushais’ belief as to soul’s passage, 118, 119
Lushei-Kuki northern trek stopped, xvii
Lushei, xvi;
origin of, doubtful, xvii
“Lushei-Kuki clans, The,” xxx n. 1, 119 n. 1, 176 n. 3
Lycanthropy, not practised by Angamis and Semas xxxiv.
See Tiger-men.
Lyengmei erect dolmens, xxv
Lynngam, xv n. 3, xix, xxviii n. 3
Machan, house built on, xxx;
at back of house (khantsung), 30, 31
Madhu (soko), 86;
varieties of rice used in making, 56;
manufacture of, 78, 79;
wife dispenses, 36, 112;
tabus during preparation, 51–53;
sprinkled to keep off evil spirits, 27, 55;
drunk in Puthi’s house, 50;
in field-house, 51;
included in “Rangsi’s Load,” 54;
prepared prior to oyantsoa, 122;
to Tsirotsoala, 140;
stone-dragging, 141;
use of in Sirosi, 127;
in soul-calling, 134;
in Wozütana, 138;
Shishang, 138, 139;
in stone-dragging, 143;
Potsokam, 131;
on bride’s leaving house, 149;
placed on man’s grave, 158;
beside Road of the Dead, 159;
ratsen gazes into, in divination, 165
Pita —— (etha soko) manufacture of, 79;
in Thruven ceremony, 47;
for Potsos, 114;
in Tuku, 122;
in Epuetha, 132, 133
Madhu rice, kept in baskets, 58;
to dogs in purification, 65;
of bride’s and bridegroom’s families mixed, 148;
in head-taking ceremony, 108;
waste, fed to pigs, 61
Madhu rohi (zutsü), manufacture and special uses of, 78;
libations of, at champo posts, 27;
at Shishang, 139;
to drive off evil spirits, 27, 34;
round stone before dragging, 142;
as cure for effects of drunkenness, 80;
husband and wife exchange during childbirth, 145;
drunk in marriage preliminaries, 147, 153;
by bride and bridegroom, 151;
given to Ponyiratsen, 151
Madhu saka (chemcho), manufacture of 78, 79;
interchanged in settlement of disputes, 100, 101;
libation of, after head-taking, 107;
use of, in Epuetha ceremony, 132;
sprinkled round stone before dragging, 142
Madhu sieve (cham), 78
Madness, due to Python, 70;
a proof of taking false oath, 103;
result of sacrificer eating sacrificial flesh, 138
Maggots, removal of, 80
Magic, 121;
homœopathic, 121, 125, 130, 131;
—— power gained by possession of intimate article, 44
Magpie not eaten, 76
Maibang (“much paddy”), xviii
Maize (tsunghundhro), cultivation, 57;
cooking, 78
Makware attacked by Kukis, xvii
Males:
all —— receive portions of sacrificial meat, 27;
sit on right of celebrant, 34;
contribute rice at oyantsoa, 122;
tabus affecting males:
may not eat rice boiled in water used in thread preparation, 37;
have any share in dyeing, 38;
in weaving save setting of warp, 39.
See Man.
Man:
man’s work,
basket-making, 43;
net-making, 43;
fish-poisoning, 71;
—— and tiger of common origin, xxxiv.
See also Males, Old man, Young man, Married men, Unmarried men.
Mangya village, 21
Manipur, point of contact of Nagas and Kukis, xvi
Manipuris, xxiii;
composition of, xxxvi n. 1;
belief in vampires, xxxiv n. 2
Manufactures, 36–44
Mao, legendary place of origin of Lhotas and other tribes, 4
Marriage, 147–156;
Ceremonies:
preliminary, 147, 148;
tsoyuta, 148;
Lantsoa, 148, 149;
halam, 149–151;
Ponyiratsen’s, 151–153;
exogamous system, 87, 88;
rules as regards certain blood relations, mother’s clan, brother’s widow, father’s
widow, 95;
of adopted persons, 99, 100
price (oman) settlement of, 148;
payment by instalments, 87, 155, 156;
items of, and recipients, 155;
arrangements in case of death of wife, 156;
in case of divorce, 112, 156;
elder brother pays for younger, 99;
paid and received by adopter, 99, 100;
not paid for brother’s widow, 95, 155
Married men:
recently —— must perform second sowing ceremony, 48;
blessed at Tuku, 129
Maru tribe, xxiv n. 1
Mat in omen-taking, 152, 153 [246]
Matishi boulder, story of, 117
Mat-mei (real men), Chang term for Nagas, xxii
Matrilineal system, indications of, xxxvi
McCulloch on composition of Manipuris, xxxvi n. 1
Meal, ceremonial in new house, 34;
daily meals, 86
Measures: see Mensuration.
Meat, cooking and smoking of, 78;
present as overture of marriage, 153;
on grave, 158;
in offering to dead, 159
Medicine Man: see Ratsen.
Megalithic monuments: also see Stone-dragging.
Associated with terrace cultivation, xxix;
erection by Angamis and Lhotas, xiv;
in front of “morungs,” Phoms and Konyaks, xxix n. 2;
associated with oha stones, xxx n. 1, 144, 168
Meitheis: see Manipuris.
“Meitheis, The,” xxxvi n. 1
Mekrima, legends regarding, xx
Mekula village, 21
Melanesians, xvii n. 4
Melomi, xxi
Memi, influence on Khoiraos, xviii;
legend of origin, xx;
physical type, xxi;
social organization, xxxii;
numbers in 1921, xxxii n. 1
Mering in story of Kithang clan, 185–187
Methama clan, 42
Michem, tree on which afterbirth is hung, 145, 146
Midwife: see Oshangessi.
Migrations considered in detail, xxxvi, xxxvii;
from south, xxxv;
of Lhotas, xiv;
Lushai-Kuki tribes, xvii;
from north, xxxv, xxxvi;
from Nepal and Tibet, xvi;
traditions among Lhotas, xv, 3;
from east, xxxvi;
Rengmas, xiv;
from Southern China, xvii
Mikir Hills, Rengmas enter, xiv, xxi
Mikirs, Bodo tribe, from Nepal and Tibet, xvi, xvii;
language, xvi n. 1;
shouldered hoe, xxvii;
killed by Lhotas, 1
Milk, use of, 61
Millet (lichophuk), cultivation of, 57
Mills, Mr. J. P., xv, xi, xii, xiii;
regarding Ung, xxxiii n. 1;
familiar spirit, xxxiv n. 2;
yanthang, xxvi n. 1
Mingetung (head-tree), description of sacredness and importance of, 28, 29;
selection necessary before founding new village, 5, 29;
theft of branch of old, 6, 29;
fall of branch necessitates oyantsoa ceremony, 29, 122;
fencing of, 124;
oha stones kept under, 28, 29, 166;
heads of enemies hung in, 28, 108, 162 n. 1;
dummy heads hung in, 129;
of Phiro, xxxix, 29
Mingishi, death dues for wife, 156
Minivet, not eaten, 75
Mint: see Rarakham.
Mipongsandre (“Fire-smoke-conquering men”), phratry, xxxviii, 88;
clans in, 88, 90, 91;
tradition of origin, 88, 167
Miri Tribe, xvi n. 4
Mishmis, from Nepal and Tibet, xvi;
Linghi sept from south, xvi n. 4;
method of disposing of dead, xxiv n. 1
Mission, American Baptist, xi
Mithan (tsiro), keeping of, 59, 60;
“gennas” for calving, 60;
regarded as sign of wealth, 59;
of superiority, 89;
mode of measuring, 229;
sacrificed, 140, 159;
bull may be substituted, 137;
blemishes which render unfit for sacrifice, 137;
meat not eaten by sacrificer or his household, 138, 141;
cutting up of, 140, 141;
disposal of skull and horns, 141;
precautions as to sale, 44
horn on ceremonial helmet, 19;
carved on champo posts, 25, 43;
representation of, on Stone-dragger’s roof, 34;
head placed on man’s grave, 155;
kept by widow as sign of perpetual widowhood, 155
shoulder-blades as shovels, 23 “Mock fight,” described, 110, 111;
at marriage, 151 n. 1;
between young men and women at “morung” rebuilding, 28
Mock head hunt, 128
Moilang village, 66
Mole, deer of the dead, 120
Money, thrown away in case of “apotia,” 161, 162;
oha stones kept with, 167
Monglema kindred, 92
Mongsen, Ao linguistic group of, xxx;
numbers in 1921, xxxii n. 1
Mongsentung, leaves as medicine for eyes, 81
Mongyi: see Soul.
Monkey, scaring of, 53;
hunting, 67;
trap, 68;
not eaten by young women, 77
Mon-Khmêr, Lhota possible connection with, xv;
intermingled with Bodo, xvii n. 4;
possibly once in Naga hills, xxxvi
Monoliths: see Megalithic monuments.
Montsai, soul-caller, qualifications for, and duties, 133–136;
perquisites, 134, 135
Moon, beliefs regarding, 172, 173
Morals, 19;
not due to his religion, 121
Morung (bachelors’ house): also see Champo.
Common to most Assam tribes and to Oraon, 24 n. 1;
enemy’s head exposed in front of, xxix n. 2;
animal or bird tied to post of, 25 n. 1;
of Aos and Konyaks, 24
Motharatsen ceremony, described, 49, 50
Mother, use of different words for, divide tribes into two linguistic groups:
Aos, xxx, xxxi;
Angamis, xiv, xxxi, xxxii, xxxviii;
Lhota, xiv, xxxii, xxxviii, 93, 94 note;
Rengmas, xxxi
Mother’s father or brother receives first item of marriage price, 155
Mozoi Rangpang: see Rangpang, 90
Mpongki, front room, 32, 33;
described, 30;
servants, bridegroom sleep in, 31;
pigs kept in, 61;
hens sit in, 63;
at head-taking ceremony sacrificial offering hung in, 108;
miniature hearths made in, 139;
chicken sacrificed in, 142;
omen mat placed inside door into lhurhui, 153;
death chicken’s wing cut on step, 159;
infants buried in, 160
Mshe etak (the eating of first-fruits), described, 53, 54;
Phi-tsong-lung in, 167
[247]
Muksü, girl’s cloth, 11
Murder, punishment for, 101;
relations of murderer and victim can never eat together, 101
Muri clan, 88;
origin of, 90;
connections, 91;
corresponding clans, 92
Musical instruments, 85
Mustard (hangi), 58
Muzamuza, Sema deity, 116 n. 1
Naga-Bodo language group, xvi, xix
Naga Labour Corps, 78;
song on return, 205
“Naga tribes of Manipur, The,” 124 n. 1, 199 n. 1
Naga tribes, origin and usefulness of term, xvi;
difficulty of defining, xv, xxxv;
origins and composition discussed, xv–xxxix;
traditions of origin, xxi, xxii;
physical types, xxi, xxii;
skin colour, xxii;
cephalic indices, xxiii;
disposal of dead, xxiii, xxiv;
implements and weapons, xxvi–xxviii;
cultivation, xxviii;
monuments, xxix;
organization, xxx, xxxiii;
eschatology, xxxiii, xxxiv;
folk tales, xxxiv, xv;
languages, xxxv;
case for mixed origin summed up, xxxv, xxxvi;
connections with Kol-Mon-Annam, xxxvi;
Bodo, xxxvi;
Tai, xxxvi;
Igorot, xxxvii;
Indonesians, xxxviii, xxxix;
lycanthropy, xxxiv
Nails, clippings of, 169
Names, giving of, 145;
false names, 145, 169;
private names, 169;
namesakes are friends, 104, 169;
of dogs, 61, 62;
of khels, 24;
of pigs, 61;
of villages, 21
Namsang, village dance on “morung” roof, 27
Nangkamo, wailing fiends, 116
Nankam village, sale of slave for slaughter, 109, 230;
freed slave in, 111
Napa, boulder, 117
Navel string, disposal of, beliefs regarding, 145
’Nchemo, Potsos visit, 114
’Nchuko (hearth-bringers), duties, 126;
in Shishang ceremony, 139
Ndrangtso, month, 226
Ndri, month, 226
Ndrung, group of villages, 3
Necklace, of plantain seeds, 12, 13;
of boar’s tushes, 12;
of sword-beans on mithan calves, 60
Needle (otyam), 40
Negrito, type found, xxiii
Nepal, immigration from, xvi
Nets, making of, men’s work, 43;
use of, 72
Nettles, as whips for children, 102;
as village defence, 186
New, fire, in village founding, 6;
in new house, 34.
See Fire-stick.
bamboo, in village founding, 6 “chunga,” in ceremonies, 34, 50, 127
cooking-pot in ceremonies, 50, 51
cloth in soul-calling, 136
basket in Sirosi ceremony, 127 lechapsü in final offering to the dead, 160
Ngari village, xviii
Ngaromuchung, “first carrier,” 146
Nguli, clan, 88;
origin of, 90;
kindreds in, 92;
corresponding clans, 92;
term for mother, 95;
sacrifices bull in Etha, 140;
in Tsingaki, 24