In the Andamans and Nicobars: The Narrative of a Cruise in the Schooner "Terrapin"Kloss, C. Boden (Cecil Boden)
History
In the Andamans and Nicobars: The Narrative of a Cruise in the Schooner "Terrapin"
Kloss, C. Boden (Cecil Boden)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India) -- Description and travel; Natural history -- India -- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
When everything is ready, new red loin-cloth and _tá-chöklas_ are
supplied to the guests. Then the cages, with the pigs inside, and with
the people upon them, are carried round from house to house in a
procession, with singing and dancing, each borne by about forty men or
women. Those who are not able to construct a cage, carry, as a
substitute, long bamboos, across which the pig, with bound legs, is
fastened. As they proceed, betel-nuts and plantains are distributed by
those on the cages. In this way they march round the village, and return
to the starting-point, _viâ Elpanam_, the teams of women as they stagger
along with their heavy burden giving rise to much amusement.
When the procession is over the natives release the pigs in the cars, as
well as nearly all the others, detaining only those that are to be
slaughtered on that day for the guests. Then after felling the poles of
the _ñá-kopáh_ by cutting them with an axe, 6 feet above the ground,
they scatter the food in the jungle and fence the site. The canoes and
other articles are broken to pieces and thrown away, and only the
_meráhta_, or iron pike, is preserved, with its decorations, to be made
use of later.
Next comes _Henghawa_, meaning "In return." A dozen or more pigs of
ordinary size are distributed by the inviting party to the group of
performers. These may kill and eat them on the spot, or take them away
to their homes. This present is made in place of giving a feast. The
dancing party who receive it would, according to their own numbers, kill
a few of the pigs, cut them into pieces, and distribute the flesh among
the families of their group. They roast the pieces, eat as much as they
like, and take the remaining portions away with them. The pigs that are
not killed will also be taken to their village, and will be there
reserved for some public occasion. As a rule, the people who receive the
present must be ready to give away a similar one in their turn when the
same festival occurs in their village.
The spectacle of these people as they depart, men, women, young and old,
each with a load of roasted pork either fastened to long sticks, strung
on cords, or packed in baskets, affords further amusement.
The general guests--the people of the nearest villages--will remain till
the close of the feast to assist the hosts, and to give further
performances of dancing and singing every night. They take their share
of the food with the commemorators.
With their help the amusements are renewed, and on the following morning
the big pigs, which were carried in procession, are slaughtered and cut
into long strips, some of which, generally the spinal portions, are
suspended at the entrance of the houses, as offerings to the evil
spirits, and are there allowed to remain until the next celebration of
_Kana-Awn_. Several pieces will also be distributed to friends and
relatives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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