| caption: |
visit to Jakhama and Kigwema |
| text: |
In Kigwema, all the gates are different and it is obvious that the various Khels still feel considerable pride in maintaining the custom. A gate erected by the Kavema Khel on 20-2-1920 was immortalised by a stone monument giving names and donations of all who had contributed. The same Khel put up a stone giving details of donations for the gate which they installed on 14.2.1944. The Mereletsuma Khel put up two new gates on the same date - 19.2.46 - and spent over a thousand rupees on the attendant ceremonies. Most of this was spent on cattle - for with the general killing of cattle by the Japanese, a cow or bullock now costs 80 rupees as against the pre-war rate of 20. On this particular occasion 16 cows and 2 pigs were killed. |
