SHILLONG: Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) CEM, HS Shylla said the KHADC would gather information on certain clans in Ri-Bhoi who follow the customary practice of Shaw Bhoi.
The Executive Committee (EC) had a meeting in Wednesday evening to discuss on the recommendations of the Consultative Committee on the KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act.
Shylla told reporters that genuine Bhoi clans practice the custom, Shaw Bhoi where the male would take a wife from a different community if there is less or no female member at all to carry forward the name of the clan.
“Such a practice aims to preserve the clan. For instance, if there are three males and only one female member, such a clan practices the custom of Shaw Bhoi. In such a manner, the offspring take the father’s title,” he said.
He said that in such “exceptional cases”, such clans are exempted from following the matrilineal system to preserve the name of the clan.
The MDC from Nongpoh, Rona Khymdeit raised the issue. “We will have to find out and get better knowledge about the clans who practice the custom so that we will come up with writing for such clans,” he said.
Intricate details of customary practices found in different clans of Ri-Bhoi have led the KHADC to linger with the decision on KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act.
In this connection, the KHADC has not scheduled a special session due to the complexity.
“It is a long winding process and we have not arrived at any decision yet as there are many other details that need to be looked into such as the customary practice of Ri-Bhoi,” Shylla said.
Shylla reiterated that there is no practice of mix marriage from the female side while there is a ceremony of tang jait if a man takes a wife outside of his community to make way for a new clan to come up.
