The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

manuscript notes made by W.G. Archer between 1946 & 1948, and miscellaneous papers and letters

caption:

death rituals

medium:

notes

keywords:

bihu

location:

Namsang

production:

person:	Archer/ W.G.
date:	1946-1948
refnum:	9:12

text:

Death. Namsang. 9-15 days after death the head is taken from the corpse. A little bamboo table is made and draped with a cloth. The skull is put on top - kept there until Bihu. Then at Bihu a feast - rice, pigs, a cow, rice beer. The skull is fed first 'Eat first and we will eat after you'. On the Bihu day the skull is taken to the jungle. Until it is sent away at Bihu, the soul stays in the skull. (Bihu = Aoliyang).

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