Mipongsandre. Muri.
Othui.
Eni.*
Thangwe Eni.*
Lapung.
Chorothui.*
Ezong.
Tsangle.
Yanthang.*
Moyoyanthang.*
The three phratries, Tompyaktserre, Izumontserre and Mipongsandre, are
said to be descended from three brothers, Limhachan, Izumontse, and
Rhankhantang, or Rankhanda, [108] who were the first men to come out of
the earth. The origins of the different clans, so far as tradition
relates, are as follows. In the Tompyaktserre phratry, Pathong, Chami
and Tsoboi are said to have been the three sons of Kikung. Pathong is
said to have taken his father’s head at the instigation of a friend
whose name is not recorded. The Kikung clan claim a vague headship over
the phratry, and say that in the good old days they alone had the right
to wear ivory armlets and keep mithan. The Ovung and Tsangsükikung
clans, the latter of which is found chiefly at Yimbang, are said to be
descended from “jungle men” caught by members of the Kikung clan long,
long ago. Chongyichami and Worore are regarded as closely related to
the Chami clan, the former being descended from Aos absorbed when the
Lhotas invaded the Ao country. The Worore or “bird clan” are
particularly interesting. They are found only in Pangti, the last Ao
village taken over by the Lhotas, where tradition says that the two
tribes lived together for some time. The story of the origin of the
clan is identical with that told about the Ao “bird clan,” Wozakumrr,
and there can be little doubt that the Worore are really Aos who have
been absorbed into the Lhota tribe. The story is that a Chami woman was
sitting weaving outside her house one day when a hornbill flew over her
head and dropped one of its tail feathers in her lap. She tucked the
feather into her waist, and by it became pregnant and bore a son who
was the ancestor of the Worore clan. Among the Aos no member of the
Wozakumrr clan may kill a hornbill or even see the dead body of one
that has been killed. Nor may he eat its flesh or wear its feathers
till they are thoroughly dry. In common with the rest of the
Tompyaktserre phratry the Worore clan do not eat the flesh of the
hornbill, but otherwise they are under no special prohibition with
regard to it. There appears to be no tradition relating to the Kuwang
clan, which is regarded as closely related to the Tsoboi clan, and is
often called Tsoboi-kuwang. The names of the two kindreds of the Ovung
clan—Worosaeromo and Worosanromo—mean respectively “those who make bird
platforms” and “those who do not make bird platforms.” One kindred
makes a little platform on which the cooking-pot and remains of the
chicken are left behind after a “genna” in the fields, and one does
not.