Kuki (Indic people); Lushai (Asian people); Lushai language
[4. Various sacrifices in case of sickness.] Kangpuizam.--This is a
very important and efficacious sacrifice, and can only be performed by
a certain wise man of the Khawtlang or Vuite clans. It costs Rs. 40/-
besides the cost of the animals killed and zu drunk. In front of the
house a sort of arbour is made of grass and boughs supported on four
sticks. All round this are hung little balls made of split cane rolled
up tight. This split cane is said to be much liked by the devils. All
round the house strands of cane are stretched, the ends being tied to
the arbour. The devils are supposed to be unable to pass these canes,
so that the sorcerer has no fear of the devils who are already inside
the house being assisted by recruits from the outside. Drinking of
zu and reciting of charms goes on during the day, and after dark the
sorcerer and his assistants get up on the roof of the sick man's house
and commence marching up and down reciting charms and ordering the
devils to leave the man, and offering them asylum in the bodies of a
goat, pig, and dog which they carry with them. After some shouting and
firing of a gun the party sit down on the roof over the front entrance
of the house, and the sorcerer commences a long incantation over each
of the animals in turn, beating them and stamping on them. Then some
of the party come down and the rest retire to the back of the house,
and each of the animals is brought in turn from the far end of the
house, being made to walk on its hind legs to the front, and then is
thrown down on to the entrance platform. Lastly a big bough is carried
from the back of the house along the roof and fixed in a hole through
the roof over the entrance. From this bough a cane is stretched to
the arbour. Then all the rest of the party come down, and after many
incantations and much shouting the animals are sacrificed and eaten
by the sorcerer and his assistants, the usual useless portions being
hung up in the arbour for the devils, who are supposed to have been
driven either into the animal or along the cane into the arbour.
Ui-hring.--A full-grown dog or bitch is killed on the entrance platform
and its flesh is cooked in front of the house. Blood is put on the sick
man's wrist, inside his elbow joint, on his forehead, on his chest, at
the back of the knee and ankle. Sherh and head are hung up on a post.
Hring-ai-tan.--Similar, but a different charm is muttered and the
heart is roasted and eaten. The house is "sherh" for one day, leaves
being hung in front of the door to warn outsiders. One day's hrilh
is observed.
Khuavang-hring.--Puithiam decides what animal shall be killed, and
the sacrifice takes place on a platform before the house, the flesh
being cooked in the street. Sherh and head are hung on a post in a
small basket.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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