Khong-Kaap : The biggest of Maring festival, celebrated after every five year

Khulpuwa Modar Maring *

Maring Dance at the Festival of Tribal Dance in March 2012 :: Pix - Bullu Raj

ORIGIN: In the line of mythological concept, Maring are believed to have emerged from the vast land beneath the Earth called Wansaangram in Maring. The village in the Wansaangram was called Nungmuiso. They used to be on regular or routine hunting since the time of underground life in the Wansaangram.

It is obviously perceived to the knowledge of the general people that Maring are socially cultured community from the days in the cave. They led socially nurtured life even while living in the cave. Eventually they came out from the vast land through a hole (khur in Maring) and settled first at Kulvi Shong-shong to Mungringphai or Wasaphai ( phai means valley in Maring) believed to now in present Kabaw Valley of Myanmar. There they come across one unnatural beast. Many people were eaten and post great danger to their survival. So the village council (Leipak Upa) decided to kill the said demon like giant beast. With concerted effort they could finally killed the beast which they called SOVI –YAA (yaa means animal).

PURPOSE: As the SOVI-YAA was killed with fierce encountering the killing event placed a significant mark in the line of Maring history. Signifying the success the Maring celebrated the function with resplendently. Today every Maring villages are celebrating the festival called KHONGKAAP as archery festival. But no village which do not have traditional village gate and traditional ritual sacred place celebrate this festival.

The purpose of celebrating Khongkaap is to remember the successful killing of giant beast. It was not known exactly in which year the celebration was started. Traditional attire is mandatory for every one during the celebration.

TIME OF CELEBERATION: The Khongkaap festival is celebrated every five year in the month of May( on the 3rd day of Kalen ) . The dance perform during this festival is called hnungnui and the year is called Hnungkum.

ACTIVITIES: Khongkaap, a time honoured archery festival marks the gloriousness of the people for killing of the giant beast SOVI -YA. The laarungs (traditional Maring choir master) sing the traditional folklore about every activities of the opening session. Here goes the folklore:

Keini thokna kholamal pirou sangsitan thokkena
Sangsitan thokkena sangsitan phulbena
Keine thokna kholamal pirou lungtho kulmu omme
Lungtho kulmu ommena kanthoumaklo lungthowi
Keini yangkou pungpirou chingching charei omme
Chingching charei ommena chingching charei thokke
Pu dunkhul rouwa phun atrong khani phunne
Atrong khani phunnena atrong khanthum phunne
Atrong khanthum phunnena masit makhoi roiya
Masit wakhoi roiyo masit mayeng roiyo
Ting tinga tingtinga raphol ruiwa tinga
Raphal ruiwa tingena tingtinga ruimatinge

The above mention hymn is about making traditional drum, plantation of a peculiar bamboo se for making arrow, making of arrow etc.

Then hymn goes on about the decorating the Totem telling the concern to do the decoration (Khong/khung myenei laasahbi khong/khung myerou). The symbolic totem of the SOVI-YA a peculiar beast is made out of special wood and the totem is called KHONG. The name of the tree used for the model of Sovi-yaa( a mythical animal) is KANTRO in Maring dialect (soft thorny tree).

The decorating is done by SHOUPULRUI (a post in the village council of Maring holding by charang clan). (thangrou khong man-yarrou). The symbolic Totem of the beast called Sovi-yaa is hung on the top of the tree grown in the centre and western side of the village.

Then the laarung will sing the hymn in which the soul of a person who had fixed the totem on the tree is calling to come back because it believed that his soul also may hurt during the arrow shooting session (Thangra khongyaarwaei lhah ungshundarou). Laa : Khongyar khongyarwawo angte khongyarwawo
Angte khongyarwawo neilha yongtrum roiyo

The opening ceremony is as follows:
All the men of the village are lined up with a bow (fuwila) and arrow (lachei/takro) in front of the totem with full traditional attire.

Then again the laarung will sing the hymn of tightening of Bow in which all the men will ready with their bow and arrow (fuwilaa tingnei laasabi thimi kantangni fuwila/tak tingrou, Heithangrou takrui manchunrou).

Laa: Thalmanchun thalmanchun Khulpu keithal manchun
Khulpu keithal manchun Khullak keithal manchun
Thalmanchun thalmanchun Khulpu keithal manchun
Khulpu keithal youwena kantro walhungrare

Right after that to open the arrow shooting according to Maring customary, the KHULPU/Khopu of the village will first shoot at the effigy for three times and followed by the KHULLAK/Kholak and KEISHANG for three times each. After that all the men will shoot at the spotted effigy of the beast. The shooting is performed with profound musical applause of drum beating as a mark of success and joyful celebration with dance.

People believed that shooting at the tongue and eye will mark ones bad luck or crime during the five year s to come. Also shooting at the stomach and throat will mark him of cultivating plenty of paddies during the coming five years. All the men and women are compulsory to dress up with traditional attires during the festival.

The second session of the festival is an act of calling the souls of departed forefathers. This is done to remember the departed souls of forefathers and who are no more on earth.

At this moment all the youths, elders and old men and women used to dance from door to door throughout the day and night. It is belief that the souls of forefather joins in the dancing throughout the session. Every house owner will offer lots of specially prepared food items. Under the laarungs they will sing many folk songs.

During this mainly they will sing PHUNGLAA (hymn of clan) which describes the clan from the ancestors. Besides all these activities there is grant feast. During house to house dance the owner of the house used to offer different curry items (Kanthrai an leirou). At the end of these session these collection is cook and enjoy together (Bungni thungbi cha-kmai).

The third and closing ceremony is done with the act of sending of souls of departed forefathers as farewell. All will go to the PALTHUNG (traditional village gate) to drop the departed souls. There they will say go the spirit of ancestors, we are staying back, bye- bye. This is followed by cultural dance in the night and thus the resplendent celebration wind up.