By H.H.Mohrmen
In an article I wrote in this paper about the living-root-bridges sometime ago, I had stated that these bridges in the War areas of the state testify to the fact that in the Hynniew-trep society; ‘the wellbeing of the community’ (ka bhalang uba bun balang/ ka bhalang ka imlang ka sahlang) is the most important community objective. The collective well-being of the community is the common aspiration of the people.
Visitors from outside may admire the genius of our ancestors of using living-roots of standing trees to make bridges; some use fancy terms to describe this rare feat and call it bio-engineering etc. But the important question is: what is idea behind the construction of the root-bridges. Certainly these bridges were not constructed the way our PWD construct bridges today by following a process, starting with surveying the area, designing the bridge, estimating construction cost, calling for tenders and alloting the work to a particular contractor. Making a root-bridge is a common effort for common good where everybody who uses the bridges over a long period of time are involved in the endeavor no matter how big or small the effort is. It could be someone dragging the root of a huge banyan tree connecting it with the other vines across the river or it could be a small kid training the tender tendrils of the roots to grow in a particular direction which could then help strengthen the bridge. The bridges were not meant to be tourist attractions when they were first conceived and fashioned. They were meant to serve one purpose only and that is the general interests of the farmers who have plantations in the area.
In Jaintia Hills there are other traditions which testify that the wellbeing of the community is the most important part of the Khasi Pnar’s life. The ‘Ja-nam’ of the Pnar is one such example. Ja-nam is a unique tradition of helping and supporting one another and is still being practiced by people particularly those who follow traditional Niamtre religion. It is not a religious activity per se; it a part of the last tribute paid to the deceased person and also to help the bereaved family. After all the last rites are done, friends, neighbours, relatives visit the family in mourning and bring along with them food called ‘Ja nam.’ ‘Ja’ is rice in Pnar and ‘nam’ in this context literarily means ‘visiting the family to empathise with their loss,’ The idea is that while the bereaved family is still in mourning, relatives, neighbours, and near and dear ones visit the family and provide them food during a trying time in their lives. Every day one or two families call on the bereaved family and offer them food. This ensures that the family does not go hungry till the mourning period is over. Traditionally each plate of ‘Ja-nam’ consists of red rice, an egg and few pieces of pork delicacies cooked the Pnar way and called ‘doh seiñ/doh chet nai-ïong.’ This tradition is alive and people still continue to offer ‘Ja-nam’ to each other whenever relatives, friends and neigbours are in mourning after the demise of their loved one.
‘Ja-khonboo’ like ‘Ja-nam’ is food offered by relatives, neighbours and friends but this food is for a mother who has just given birth to a baby. Again the idea is to ensure that the new mother is adequately fed with nourishing food. This is to ensure that the mother is fed even though she is unable to work after childbirth. Like in Ja-nam in the Ja-khonboo too the food items comprise red-rice (khoo pnar), one egg and few pieces of ‘dohsien’ pork. Again this tradition is still followed in the community following the Niamtre religion in Jowai so that every lactating mother receives her due share of food from families, friends and neighbours in the community.
In southern Jaintia Hills the people of War Jaintia have another unique tradition known as ‘ka Chep.’ Chep is donating money to a family both in times of joy and sorrow; people could also donate in kind. If you attend a cremation or funeral in any village in the War Jaintia area, you are expected to give some money to the member closest to the deceased. The other unique aspect of ‘chep’ is that even if one is unable to visit a family during their bereavement or to attend the last rites of the deceased person one can always send it through family, friends and neighbours. People also ‘chep’ during the time of joy particularly during weddings where they send their ‘chep.’ In return the host is expected to send them food from the feast. At a wedding in Jowai recently, friends who helped with the preparations were surprised to see that people from War Jaintia apart from partaking the food at the wedding also carried back some packed food home. This was not expected and it was not estimated. Then I remembered my mother telling me that if somebody sends ‘chep’ for the wedding, the family is duty bound to send them food in return. ‘Chep’ is a tradition of participating in a sad or joyful occasion and is still prevalent in the War Jaintia areas in the Amlarem sub division of West Jaintia hills.
‘Chunong’ is a dying tradition in Jaintia hills. It is a community social work where members donate labour in the paddy fields of a community member at the time of ploughing, planting or harvesting. Each family would have to send at least one member when any family in the village invites the community to join in the Chunong. In the Chunong tradition the owner or the host does not have to pay anybody any wages; he would only have to feed them for that day. ‘Chunong’ which is also known as ‘Kuruilok’ in the War Jaintia area is an agrarian tradition in which families in the village help and support each other especially in farming activities. Nowadays Chunong or Kuruilok is also practiced when a family constructs a house.
‘Longhai’ is another tradition of community participation for the overall welfare of the community and is practiced by a few villages in War Jaintia area. ‘Longhai’ is a unique tradition of weeding the overgrowth. This particular tradition has to do with jhum cultivation which is gradually disappearing in the War areas of Jaintia Hills. During the weeding period the owner of the plantation would invite the community to help him remove weeds from the millet fields. The unique feature of Longhai is that the weeding is done with incantation (phawer) by farmers. There are many pieces of phawer (specifically meant for Longhai) that are continuously incanted through the day. Traditionally there are two leaders who would lead in the singing. They are called left and right and after the leader has sung his piece the others would follow in chorus. Longhai will continue till the weeding is done and the owner of the plot of land does not have to pay anybody any money. He does not even have to feed them on the day. Friends, relatives and neighbours bring their own food and all he has to do is to make sure that there is enough supply of rice beer. The night before Longhai people would practice the Phawer to be sung the next day. Sadly this too is a dying tradition.
These traditions are not only part of our cultural heritage but most importantly are tenets of community living of Ki Khun u Hynniew Trep Community. Ka Bhalang uba bun balang or ka bhalang ka imlang sahang is the most important objective of the Khasi Pnar community and these traditions only confirm the fact. Fortunately there are still a few people who know of these dying traditions. It is therefore the responsibility of the Department of Art and Culture to revive these traditions. If the Department has money to spend on organizing programmes in Shillong, one hopes it will spare a thought on reviving these dying traditions.