THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
62
[Feb. 2, 1872.
MISCELLANEA. THE HILL TRIBES OF THE NORTH-EAST
these savages as amongst the most civilized nations. It is superfluous to state that early marriage is unknown among
FRONTIER, the wild tribes. Old Kukis have
It will not be out of place perhaps to give some account of the various wild tribes that inhabit our
North-East
frontiers, regarding whom very little is known by many.
a long list of deities,
many of whom are malignant. The feeling against the gods is intense; they are mere objects of terror, and if the savages could only get a chance, they would most likely
We will commence with the tribes occupying North Kachar
betake themselves to beating the gods.
and the hills round
a short sturdy race, the women more squat even than the men, but strong and lusty. The face as broad as it is long ; the cheek bones high, broad, and prominent; the eyes small
Munipur.
This tract, which lies
wholly within the watershed of the Brahmaputra on its left bank, is bounded on the North, East, and West by large branches of that river, and on the South by the
Barél, a ramifiation of the great mountain chain which stretches from Asām to Cape Negrais. The whole coun try is one vast jungle of bamboos, called Muli or Tola with a few patches of cultivated ground, on which some of the tribes temporarily establish their villages. The Barél has several enormously high peaks, the summits of which are cloud-capped, and through the gorges of the
New Kukis are
and almond-shaped ; and the nose short and flat, with wide nostrils. New Kukis differ slightly in manners from the Old Kukis. Their marriage costs the poorest two or three
years of bondage, or about thirty rupees in gifts. There is a solemn marriage ceremony preceded by feasting and games, especially among the rich. The parties, clothed in their best, both drink from a stoup of liquor, that being the common mode among these tribes of pledging
whole range a strong southerly wind generally blows over North Kachar. In the lower ranges and the valleys, dense fogs and mists are common, and there is a general dampness throughout the year. The consequence of this is that malaria, breeding the most deadly epidemics, makes them
truth and fidelity. A stoup is presented to the couple by the thempu or priest, who mutters over them some words
the most insalubrious places in India. The jungle through out the country abounds with apes, buffaloes, elephants,
replaced. After the threads are put on, the thempu pre sents the happy pair with a small comb each, again mutters something in the unknown tongue, and the marriage is com plete. A New Kuki can put away his wife though she be faultless, but in such a case, she is allowed to take away
tigers, bears, leopards, and hyaenas; there are snakes in
infinite variety, and leeches, gnats, and flies, in swarms. In North Kachar, there are several wild tribes, but they are all supposed to be the branches of the prin
cipal ones called Cacharis, Kukis, Luhupas, Mikirs, and Nagas.
It is, however, a curious fact that several of
the smaller tribes, or clans, not only differ from each other in manners and customs, but also in language. In the valleys of the Brahmaputra alone, there are no less than twenty different clans, each speaking a dialect unintelligi ble to the others, as among the wild tribes of Africa.
The
Kacharis differ little from the Asamese not only in appear ance and customs, but also in dress and ornamentation, except in remote parts where both are rude and scanty. The Kukis are subdivided into two classes, the Old and the New. The Old Kukis, physically the most powerful in Kachar, dress decently, and affect a modesty unknown to
the other tribes. They are very fond of ornaments, and wear rings, bracelets, armlets, necklaces, and ear-rings in great numbers. Instead of boring the ears, they, in common with two or three clans of the New Kukis, cut off a piece of flesh in a circular form from the lower lobe, and insert into the hole thus made an elastic shave of bamboo, so as to form a powerful spring acting equally on all sides of the hole, which is thus gradually enlarged until it is made to reach enormous dimensions,—the outer flesh and skin of the lobe being sufficiently stretched out to admit of a brass or silver ring four or five inches in circumference.
The ear is
also turned round so as to make the ear-ring lie at right angles to the side of the head, and both through the ear and the ring, are hung other ornaments. Among the Old Ku kis, marriage is as much a religious as a civil rite. The
Ghalim or headman of the village must be present, and in the presence of the congregation he blesses the young cou ple, who stand with a foot each upon'a large stone in the centre
of the village. The custom of entering into bondage in the house of the parents of the bride before marriage, is also prevalent among them as among the New Kukis. Courtship is well understood and delicate y managed. When
wooing has gone on for some time, the lover sends a friend to the parents of the damsel with a stoup of liquor ; if they quaff it, the omen is favourable ; if they decline, the senti
mental lover must give up all hope and seek his bride else where, a fact which demonstrates that parental authority is a natural law, as distinctly defined and understood among
in an unknown tongue, and ties round the bride's neck two small threads of cotton, and one round that of the bride groom. The threads are allowed to wear out, and are never
all his property, except his drinking vessel and the cloth
round his waist. Wives, however, are generally the slaves of their husbands, and may be sold or pawned at the will of the latter. A husband will even sometimes sell or pawn his wife to purchase a trifle. This practice extends to all the North-Eastern Tribes, even among the Manipuris, As amese, and Maghs. New Kukis believe in a future state
The dead amongst them are supposed to assume their forms again, and continue their lives in a land lying to the North; there the good men of the tribes are said to congregate, and it is their heaven. The leading joys in it are those of war and the chase, and in which rice grows without cultivation, and the jungles abound in game. In this particular, the New Kukis much resemble the North American Indians.
The practice of burial prevails in all countries where
the belief of the resurrection is entertained.
Among the
New Kukis, Buthen is the Supreme Deity, the author of the universe. His wife is named Nangi, and his son Thila. Thila's wife is named Gamu, and she has the power of causing slight distempers, such as headache, toothache, &c. As their system of medicine is closely connect
ed with their theology, the physician is generally the priest, whose business it is to offer sacrifices in addition to adminis
tering medicine. The Luhupas, who reside near Mani pur, are not very savage. They are of superior stature to the tribes around them. They shave off their hair on both sides of the head, leaving a ridge on the top like that of a helmet. In war, they wear a head-dress like that of the Tangkuls, and as ornaments, tresses of women are allowed
to dangle on all sides. They use unusually long spears, in wielding which they are very expert, being with these and shields more than a match for all the neighbouring tribes with their spears, bows, and poisoned arrows. The name of
the Luhupas spreads terror even into the far Burmese ter ritories. In other respects, they nearly resemble the Mikirs and the Munipuris. The Mikirs wear moustaches, and have a peculiar dress. It is a sack put on like ashirt, con sisting of two pieces of cotton cloth, each about three feet long by one and a half broad, dyed with red stripes and fringed at both ends, sewed together like a bag with holes for the head and arms. They look upon marriage as a matter purely of civil contract, unconnect
