| caption: |
using bamboos to divine which fields to cultivate |
| text: |
In front of the door a small fire was built, and specially prepared pairs of bamboo were held over it. Each pair represented a piece of jhum land, and the way the bamboos split while being held over the fire indicated whether it was suitable for cultivation. If the split was unsatisfactory, the plot of land would not be cultivated this year. The old men present and holding their bamboos over the fire represented sections of the village. Each man was the member of a separate clan. |
