[The Rangendri ceremony.] After Pikuchak, but before the crops are
sown, a “genna” called Rangendri is performed, at which imitation heads
are hung on the mingetung. The Puthi collects rice and with it buys a
pig which he kills outside his house. Going outside the village fence
he lays thirty tiny pieces of the flesh on each of two leaves and prays
that inasmuch as the warriors of the village are following the customs
of their forefathers, good fortune may come to all. Then a few men of
standing make globular bamboo baskets, such as are used for fingers,
ears, bits of scalp and other trophies of Naga warfare, and hang them
up on the mingetung. These are spoken of as “heads,” and each man who
hangs one up sacrifices a fowl and feasts the village as if he had
really taken and hung up an enemy’s head. The performance of this
“genna” does not permit a man to wear any of the ornaments of a
warrior, but entitles him to have one representation of a head put on
his grave for each time he does it.
[The Tuku ceremony.] The agricultural year closes with the Tuku
ceremony. Five days after he has given notice of the “genna” the Puthi
goes round with his Yenga and collects unhusked rice from every house.
Men married in the course of the year have to make an extra large
contribution, and receive in return a special blessing from the Puthi
when he visits them on his round. Two days later he collects husked
rice in the same manner. With some of the unhusked rice he makes “pita
madhu,” and with part of the rest buys a pig. The eighth day from that
on which the unhusked rice was collected is known as kichan. On it the
Puthi spears the pig at the opya, or among the Northern Lhotas just
outside the village fence. The stomach is eaten there by the Puthi and
the old men, and the rest of the meat divided up and distributed, those
who gave most rice naturally getting most pork. The pig must not be
singed to get the hair off or the crops will fail. From the day when
the unhusked rice is collected to kichan nothing must be killed or sold
in the village, and no meat from a tiger’s kill must be brought in. The
day after kichan is called remphi or tuku inshuk. On it animals and
fowls may be killed and the day is given up to feasting, the working
companies especially who have worked together during the year holding
little feasts to which they have all subscribed, or visiting the houses
of the different members. Next day emung is observed. On it the
ornaments and all erections on graves are thrown away. [143] No rice
may be cut after this “genna.” Tuku emung being intimately connected
with the dead, it is chosen as a time for taking omens which will show
who is to die in the course of the year. The night before the boys of
the champo sprinkle ashes carefully round the entrance to their
sleeping-rooms. These are examined for tracks very early in the morning
before anyone has gone out. Should a track be found fitting the foot of