Funeral rites of the Kabuis
- Part 1 -

Dr Budha Kamei *

The Kabui, one of the indigenous tribes of Manipur is also known by the name of the Rongmei. In terms of race and language, the Kabui fall under the Tibeto-Burman family of the Mongolian race. The population of this tribe is found mainly in the Tamenglong District of Manipur. As a tribal population they are quite sizable; according to 2001 Census Report of India, their population in Manipur returned as 82,555 including 41,519 males and 41,042 females[3].

This people are found scattered also in the neigbouring districts of Tamenglong District, namely Churachandpur, Senapati, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Bishnupur; outside the state of Manipur they are found settling in Nagaland in its Paren sub-division, Dimapur and Kohima, and in Assam in its Haflong sub-division of Cachar District and Hailakandi District. The present article is an attempt to highlight the funeral rites of the Kabuis of North East India.

Theimei :

In many religions, death is the last crisis in the life cycle of an individual. Theimei is a Kabui word which means death. Death signifies the total cessation of life process that eventually happens in all living beings. The usual theory of the process of death is the separation of the soul from the body. However, the soul may move out from the body before death as in dream. Illness is held to be such a moving out from the body. The only distinction between such a separation and that of death is that the later is final.

The moment when the final separation is accomplished, the liberated soul takes flight. Among the Kabuis, death of a man is believed to be the departure of soul called Buh permanently from the body for his journey to the land of the dead locally called Taroilam. Thus, they look upon death not as a dissolution of our being, but simply as a change of way of life. Sherlock says, "We call it death to leave this world, but were we once out of it and enstated into the happiness of the next, we should think it were dying indeed to come back to it again".

Regarding the origin of death, the legend of the Kabui speaks, "there was once a time when men did not die, for there was a wonderful tree whose bark would cure all ills, would even bring the dead back to life. One day the children brought the bark from the wrapping in which it was kept inside, and put it in the sun while they played. The sun stole it, knowing full well its wonderous power. Their faithful dog rushed after the thief and ate him up. But so powerful was the medicine of the bark that the sun recovered even after this rough treatment. Since then men have died because they no longer know the tree of life". Thus, the Kabuis explain regarding the origin of death of man.

Man is the only creature known to bury his dead. It was not originally motivated by hygienic considerations but by ideas entertained by primitive people concerning human nature and destiny. This conclusion is clearly evident from the fact that the disposal of the dead from the earliest times was of a ritual kind. The ritual burial which have been practiced in most part of the world from the very down of human culture is mainly because of refusal on the part of man to accept death as the definitive end of human life.

The Paleolithic peoples such as the Neanderthals and later groups used to burry their dead along with food, weapons and other equipment. This implies that there was a belief that the dead still required such things in the grave. The practice can be traced back to possibly as early as 50,000 BCE. Funeral ritual makes to supply the earliest evidence of religion in human history.

The disposal of dead is always associated with elaborate performance of ritual in all human societies. The Kabuis also have their own way of disposal of the dead. There are three main functions which involve in burial and mourning custom. First the physical body of a dead person must be disposed of; secondly, it is believed that the soul of the dead person must be aided to make its passage from the land of the living to its final resting place, and lastly, the cluster of social relationships between the deceased and the living, which have been disrupted by the death, must be repatterned.

The basic function of mortuary preparation is to free the living from the defilement of death and to ensure a safe and successful passage into the here after. Indeed, the proper performance of funerary rites is needed to enable the dead to depart to the place and condition to which they properly belong. Failure to expedite their departure can have dangerous consequences.

The mode of disposal of the dead most generally used throughout the world has been burial in the ground. The practice of burial started in the Paleolithic era (Old Stone Age), was as far as is known, by inhumation. The Kabuis also burry their dead in the grave to enable the dead to return to the womb of the Mother Earth; it is in the belief that primordial man was formed out of earth. Each family or each lineage has its own burial place inside the village. Generally, death takes place inside the house.

Death due to illness of old age is measured as natural death. The rites and ceremonies which involve the disposal of the corpse is elaborate one. The moment of death is regarded as occasion of the gravest crisis in many religions. The relatives take so much care about the sick person. When the condition of the person is serious and approaches to die, all the close relatives of the lineage are gathered around the person for biding farewell.

The relatives who assemble there will offer prayer for the man in terms like: 'May the Tingkao Ragwang takes him at His heavenly abode'. At the same moment, it is a compulsory duty on the part of the relatives to try their best to give comfort the dying person to let his soul leaves the body peacefully. This is called Teimumloumei. Thus, the person passes away. When death takes place, they announce the fact by loud cries. Like other Naga tribes, the Kabuis also remove a sick man out of bed, and makes to lay him on the mate. And he is allowed to die on the mate; it is supposed to avoid the death pollution upon the bed. Similarly, direct contact between the corpse and the earth is prevented to keep away from pollution.

Albert Smith writes, "Tears are the safety-valves of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it". The women are the principal mourners, and they continue to sob and shriek and mourn until they are forced to cease from absolute exhaustion. During funeral ceremony, women and children lament and the father stands apart, a picture of silent grief. William J. Goode says, the solidarity of the family is temporarily broken by the removal of an integral part, and the collective mourning and ritual serve to realign the unity in an emotionally satisfactory and socially approved manner.

As soon as the soul leaves the body, the person is declared death, then, a ritual called Kahoroumei is performed by an elder of Pei (village council) who presents there. The elder who acts as priest very close to the head of the deceased will pronounce Ho-Ou-We Kumeipu or Kumeilure Rampingreo Kumeipu Aai Naiye which means 'you go without fear I am here'. The words Ho-Ou-We signifies towards the Supreme God, Tingkao Ragwang that this man is no more and the word Ho symbolizes chanting the name of the Tingkao Ragwang.

This is followed by another ritual called Gu Kashet Keimei meaning ginger offering. In this ritual, an elder of Pei who officiates as priest with a piece of ginger and a plantain cup of water will pour into the fireplace for the departed soul. The objective of this ritual is believed to show to the deceased the right way to go (on his way to Taroilam) as pure as clear water as well as, as cool as water.

Among the Kabuis, when a man dies the dead is not interred only by the relatives of the deceased. All the villagers take part in the funeral ceremony. Under this obligation, a formal announcement is made by an elder of Pei to make it known to all the villagers. This is called Kailong Kaomei. As soon as the news reaches one's ear everyone stops their works as a mark of condolence. Moreover, it is a taboo locally called Nuhmei because dead is unclean and it may also pollut the whole village until the purification rite is accomplished. The villagers will bring gifts such as wine, rice, money to the bereaved family as a sign of sympathy.

Then, the dead is cleansed with a haircut by using the Khoi, a kind of tree. This is called Duiloumei. In olden days, the bark of this tree was used in washing or bathing. It is believed that if the dead is washed with Khoi, it is clean and pure. Bathing the body is a universal symbol of inner purification. Another idea of cleansing the dead is to avoid the defilement of death. If the deceased is a male, washing and dressing is carried out by male members and in case of female; it is done by the female members.

After bath, the dead is adorned with new cloth and placed on his bed called Kalangdai by pronouncing: 'Ho-ou-we.' The whole body is covered with a traditional cloth like, Masinphei or Mareipan or Pheingao or Leirumphei. Now, the dead is ready for a journey to the land of the dead, to which he belongs. It is believed that if the dead comes with a bath, he is well-received in another world.

Taroimei means the dead man in local dialect. For the Taroimei, fly called Shim is supposed to be his Kashu Kari (evil spirits or enemy). In this belief, the relatives of the deceased will swing over the body with the leaves of Parin cheng, a kind of tree to drive off the flies33. It is said that the evil spirits dislike and scare the Parin cheng. This is locally known as Shimhamei.

Like living being, the dead man also feels thirsty. In this faith, they prepare special food available in the family such as of a fowl or a duck or even an egg etc. for the dead. For offering food, a small pit is dug near the bed of the deceased. An elder of Pei who officiates as priest will pour a little food such as rice, curry, wine and water etc. into the pit pronouncing: 'You go without thirsty'. The offering of food will continue with an interval till the dead body is placed into the coffin. The members of the dormitory in which the deceased belongs will offer wine for the dead. This is locally known as Joukarumei. Arnold Van Gennep opines, drinking with the dead is an act of incorporation with him.

When an individual dies at night, the youths of the village will come at the residence of the deceased and stay the whole night. The custom of wake is arisen from the belief that the spirit of the dead person hovers about the corpse between death and burial. If any one in the house sleeps, he is liable to encounter the soul in dreams, and to sicken in consequence. So, the watchers ask riddles and play games to keep wake. This custom is known as Miklakmei.

It is a custom of the Kabuis to convey news of the dead to all the relatives and freinds living at other villages whom it may concern to come and attend the funeral ceremony. It is done by sending youths of the village. The messengers are suggested to come back as soon as possible before sunset. There is a belief that if the funeral ceremony is completed before they come back home, the spirit of the deceased may give trouble to them on their way of returning.

In Kabui society, when a man dies, it is a custom to offer Takan (an animal or a bird) for the deceased. A small portion of all parts of the victim is removed and cooked by the members of Pei and it will be included in making the food stuff packets for the dead. If a dog is killed, it is believed that the dog will protect him from evil spirits and will take the message ahead to the land of the dead and his relatives of his coming. Evans-Pritchard writes, "His soul will go along with the soul of the sacrifice animal".

If the deceased is a married woman, it is a custom to offer an animal or a bird as Theigui for the dead woman by her parents. It is done in the belief that the woman to be born again in her father's lineage even if she passes away through her husband's lineage. This custom is locally known as Theigui Loumei. The cooked curry of Theigui will offer for the dead by pouring it into the pit. The maternal uncle of the woman also will offer a fowl as a part of Theigui otherwise it is believed that the woman will go to the land of the dead by biting her finger with cheerless.

Tangku meaning coffin is a closed receptable for a corpse. Its purpose is to protect the body from external influences and add dignity to the corpse. Although, in the past some have believed that it may confine the spirit of the deceased. Possibly its original intention was to protect the living from visits of the dead. Another idea of wanting a coffin is deemed desirable to protect the body from earth and this done by means of the nich or recess at the bottom of the grave shaft.

In the beginning, man started to use bark, skins and mats to wrap the dead body prior to burial. In course of time coffin made of wood was employed. Wood is the usual material for a coffin. The use of coffin began in the early 3rd millennium BCE in Sumer Egypt. In the morning of the day of funeral, the villagers will collect required wood from the forest for making the coffin. This is called Tangku doumei.

Kaiphum Phumei means to locate and decide the location of the burial place. The place or location of the burial is often consulted the dying man's own wishes. The digging of grave is begun by a male relative of the deceased with a Laogai (hoe) after offering wine. This is known as Kaiphun phumei. The offering of wine is for the mother earth.

The grave is believed to be the residence of the departed; and efforts are made to render it as comfortable as circumstances permit. Tarou Chaomei means grave digging; it is done by the youths of the village. Care is taken in digging the grave that in which direction the head of the deceased will place. Usually, it is determined on the western direction because east indicates with life and west with dead.

If another grave is found while digging, a coin is droped as a price of the grave. This is known as Taroumantimei, which means paying the price of the grave. And if the grave belongs to the same lineage of the deceased, it is not paid. While digging, if it falls down, an elder will offer wine in the grave saying: 'Nangkaiphun Chaolang Laina Nangkai Hanjaidat tho Natou Nanata Renamai Tilouleo'.

After digging the grave (trench), a niche is made at the bottom of the grave to insert the coffin. This is known as Tangkubam Langmei. A male member of the deceased's family will begin to dig the niche after offering wine. The recess is made in the logic that when a baby borns, he comes out from his mother with its head forward and when he dies due to old age, he is supposed to return with its feet forward inside the mother earth. The niche symbolizes the mother of human being.

To be continued ....