[Minor Religious Officials.] The post next in importance to that of
Puthi is that of Wokchung (“pig-killer”), of which there are usually
two in a village, though in big villages such as Tsingaki there are two
for each clan. A Wokchung may carry a phui spear as the Puthi does. His
duty is to kill animals at private sacrifices. Below the Wokchungs are
two ’Nchuko (“hearth-bringers”), who bring the small stones with which
miniature hearths are made at social “gennas.” Next below are two
Sorhung (“meat-dividers”), who divide up the meat at all sacrifices and
settle all disputes as to the respective shares. No one may act as
Wokchung, ’Nchuko, or Sorhung unless he has performed all social
“gennas” and dragged a stone. There is nothing to prevent the offices
of Puthi, Wokchung, ’Nchuko and Sorhung being combined in the same
person.
Public Ceremonies.
Besides the ceremonies intimately connected with agriculture which have
already been described, there are certain other public ceremonies of a
more general character. The year officially opens with the Pikuchak
“genna,” but before that is performed the omens for the whole village
are taken at a ceremony called Sirosi.
[The Sirosi ceremony.] The procedure at Pangti, to take an instance, is
as follows. The men of the village all assemble in front of the senior
Puthi’s house, the boys of each champo bringing meat in new baskets and
“chungas” of “madhu.” The two Puthis in full dress lead the way a short
distance down the path to Okotso, each holding a “chunga” of “madhu” in
his right hand. A short distance beyond the village fence they sit down
and together say the dranda, praying that their enemies may make peace
and come and eat with them, that tigers may not kill their cattle nor
hawks their chickens, and that the village may flourish and grow big.
This prayer is offered facing away from the village, and at the end of
it each Puthi pours a little “madhu” on the ground. Some meat and
“madhu” are distributed, and all go up to the village again and a short
way down the path to Are, where the same ritual takes place. On the Are
path, just below the place where the prayers are said, is a small clump
of big trees growing close together. Between their stems is the
traditional spot at which omens are taken at Sirosi. The prayer ended
all the boys rush down the hill shouting, and hurl bamboo spears at the
trees. Then all go down and scrape the earth clean at the proper spot.
Here each Puthi sets up an egg on end, asking that the good or evil
fortune of the coming year may be revealed, and takes the omens by
cutting chips from a green twig and watching how they fall. The future
is really believed to be revealed by the kinds of insects which are
caught near the egg, and all sit and watch while the boys hunt
industriously in the grass. Locusts mean that sambhur hunting will be
good (for they have big legs). Stick insects are interpreted as showing