By H H Mohrmen
The majority of people living in Jaintia Hills are called ‘ki Pnar,’ They have no written history to corroborate their migration to the hills, but on the other hand their culture is abound with legends and folktales which describe the many facets of their lives. To begin with they do share the same creation story with the Khasis called “Ka parom ki ynñiaw wasa ynñiaw wasung” which in Khasi is known as ‘”ka jingiathuhkhana shaphang u hynniewtrep hynniewskum” or the story of the seven huts the seven nest albeit with some variation. According to the myth there were 16 huts in heaven and seven descended to the earth using ‘ka tangnoop ka tangjri.’ The prefix ‘Tang’ mean vine and ‘noob’ is a bean shaped plant known as elephant creeper (Scientific name Entada Pursaetha) and ‘jri’ here is referred to roots of banyan or a fig tree. While in the Khasi version of the story the seven huts descended to the Earth using the huge tree known as ‘Dieng Їei.’
The Pnar version of the Creation story is more elaborate in the present of u Lakariah ordained by God to lead the seven huts on their journey to their destination. He also played a vital role in helping them settle on earth. In the Pnar’s account of the story; it was not in the Creator’s divine plan that the seven huts are to settle permanently on earth, but it was human desire that made them part ways with the nine huts above and settle on Earth. And it was an amicable parting.
In the absence of any written records of the migration of people to the place now called Jaintia, the field is fertile for theories of possible migration of the people to the hills, said Dr Shobhan N. Lamare a renowned historian of the state who has also dealt at length on the issue in his book The Jaintia: Studies in Society and Changes. Lamare mentioned many theories propounded by many scholars of repute in his book but generally the consensus is that the Pnar and the Wars of Jaintias like their immediate neighbours- the Khasis; are an offshoots of the Mon-khmer race of South East Asia and had ascended to the hills through the Assam valley.
The Pnar and War of Jaintia have many things in common with the Khasis. For instance though there is variation in the language used by these communities it is believed to be the same language. The Pnar and the Wars also share common culture and traditions with the Khasis and one of the important traditions is kinship through the clan system. In all the major tribes among the Khasi and Jaintia, the clan system is the most important aspect of people’s lives and everything revolves around the clan. The Khasis, the Pnars and the Wars of the Khasi- Jaintia Hills also share the same cardinal principle of life namely; ‘Tipbriew tipblei, Tipkur tipkha and Kamai ia ka hok’. Yet, the people who live in the Jaintia hills possess some unique attributes that are not found amongst their Khasi brethren.
With regards to the migration of the people to the Jaintia hills, the one aspect that has not been taken into consideration are the clans’ stories. In the case of the Pnars and the Wars, the stories of the progenitor of the clans not only tell us about the origin of the clan but also give us a rough sketch of the migration path of the clan to the hills. Of the many legends about the progenitor of the clans, perhaps the three popular stories are relevant in this context. According to the legend ka Bor Kupli the Progenitor of the Passah clan and her husband u Yale were the personification of the river Kupli and the Yale falls on the same river. The two turn to humans and give birth to those who are of the Passah clan. From the story we get the idea that the Passah clan migrated from Kupli to the hills.
Then there is the story of ‘ka Iaw chibidi’ the progenitor (Seinjeit/Iawbei) of the Laloo, the Pyrbot, the Lamin clan etc. The lady migrated to Jaintia hills from Iapngar which is in the Bhoi Lymbong area which now falls under the present Ri Bhoi district. In brief the story tells us about a lady who married a man and followed him in search for a place to live. The husband on reaching a certain market exchanged the woman for shi bidi/chi bidi/shi bijai which is believed to be a kind of measurement used when people barter with each other. The stories have it that when the woman came to know that her husband had sold her, her heart broke and she asked him how much wealth he wanted. Her husband was ashamed and refused to raise his head. She simply moved her hair several times and lo and behold gold, silver and diamonds fell from her hair. But the deal was already done, so she left her husband and moved with the man who bought her. Her husband lived to regret and curse his stars for he did not know that his former wife was a fairy. The incident gave the woman a new name and was then known as Iaw chibidi which means a woman who was exchanged for chibidi and she became the progenitor of the grand Laloo, Lamin, Pyrbot clans etc. The story also gives us a rough idea that the clan originated from Iapngar and migrated to Jaintia hills and elsewhere.
Rev. Carlywel Lyngdoh of Jowai published a booklet on the story of ‘ka Talang Ba Siah’ the Iawbei or progenitor of the Talang, the Nongtdu, Buam clan and etc. The story has it that an old lady called Talang migrated to the Jaintia region from a village called Nabasohphoh in the Khasi hills and married a man from the Dhar clan. The story has it that the progenitor of the Talang clan migrated to the Jaintia hills by crossing the river Umngot from near Pamchadong village. They settled in a place called Am Prai in the village now known as Amtapoh. Out of the wedlock they were blessed with nine female children. It so happened that one day when the sisters and the entire family went out to the field to work, one of the old Talang’s daughters gave birth to a child. The grandfather of the new baby instead of disposing the placenta in a traditional way by putting it in the earthen pot and hanging it on the tree or burying it under the ground, instead cooked it in a pot. When the family returned from work, they were happy to know of the birth of a new baby. They partook of the food the grandfather had prepared, not knowing that the meat was the placenta from the new birth. The mother and her children were shocked when they came to know about it. It was their worst nightmare. They were eating the placenta of the baby which is part of their own clan’s flesh and the mother is eating part of herself. This is a taboo of the worst kind. Since then they were called ‘Talang basiah’ which means the Talang who eat their own placenta. They lamented this act and don’t ever wish to be reminded of the miserable incident anymore so they decided to part ways and move in different direction. Till now there are nine standing stones in the area known as ‘shmia lymbrem’ which are believed to be a location where the clan met one last time before they moved in different direction after the tragic incident. One of the sisters moved to the east and crossed the Myntdu and her offspring are called Nongtdu because they crossed the Myntdu River. The descendants of the sister who moved southeast were called Nialang which literarily means crying together, the offspring of the sister who crossed the river Liting towards Khasi hills were called Liting. The children of the sister who move towards Amwi were called Buam and another proceeded further from Jarain and settled in a place called Skhen Talang and the mother move southwards of Amtapoh to the village now known as Nongtalang. The children of the sisters were bestowed the honour of being the Priest clan (Lyngdoh) of Nongtalang village. Two sisters moved northwards toward Shyrmang via a place called Pam Talang and they were also ordained as the priestly clan of the Raij Chyrmang.
These are only few of the clan stories which also give us an idea of migration of the people to what is now known as Jaintia hills.