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gates at Pfutsero village |
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E. Angami. Pfutsero. Gates: |
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1. 30 heads - 2 mithan heads |
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2. 21 heads - 2 mithan heads |
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3. 21 heads - 1 mithan head one figure of a small man (no heads in hands) |
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4. 21 heads - 1 mithan head - 2 naked figures each carrying 2 heads. |
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5. 17 heads - 1 mithan head - 2 figures - each with one head. |
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6. a gate crowded with 27 heads - 1 mithan head - 2 figures (no heads) - 2 large fowls - one on either side - each gate an index to Khel prowess and status |
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1. mithan horn = the Khel sacrificed 1 mithan when celebrating the raiders' return. 2 mithan heads = the Khel sacrificed 2 mithan on return from a raid. |
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2. heads = the number of heads taken by the Khel up to the date of making the gate. |
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3. a figure = a captured enemy ie. a raid in which an enemy was captured. |
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4. a figure with a head in his hand = a raid in which one head and one prisoner were taken. |
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5. a figure with a head in either hand = a raid in which 2 heads and one prisoner were taken. |
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6. 2 figures = 2 prisoners |
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7. fowls = a raid in which no heads got but some fowls captured |
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8. no breast because it is village genna to carve them on the gates 'ill would betide' |
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If a new gate has to be made, it is nowadays an exact copy of the old. |
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Male, female and children's heads counted the same - but a prisoner was esteemed much more than a head - when an enemy was captured he was taken to the genna lurha's house, kept and fed there while the village observed a genna - since he was fed by the village, it was genna to kill him - he was therefore sent back to his village - great prestige attached to the taking of prisoners. |
