| caption: |
Konyak deities ; sacrifice for illnesses |
| text: |
The dobashi of Tamlu, Nian-pong, had already come to Merangkong the previous evening and now he accompanied us to his village. I took up again what I had heard in Merangkong and so I heard quite a lot about the deities of the Konyak of Tamlu. The god of the sky here is Khagang. He created heaven and mankind and according to some, the earth as well. He sees everything and sacrifices are made to him during certain illnesses. At first at a tree struck by lightning, (120) then, if that does not help, a chicken is killed at midnight and a part of it is put into a basket and is placed on the roof-ridge for Khagang. I saw such a sacrifice myself on a roof in Kanching. The entire ceremony has to be done by a man of the Noklang clan, that is the oldest clan in the area of Tamlu. (See S.P. no 3. p 9-13). |
