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visit to "six stones" at Lungtrok - Ao origins; destruction of stone by Christian evangelist |
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Nov. 6th. - Halted Chare. There are about 200 houses and it is one of the biggest Sangtam villages left - the biggest, if the Aos in it are included. [SKETCH |
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We went up to Chongliemdi 3 miles off at the top of the hill, a small village of some 30 or 40 houses, and paid a visit to Lungtrok (Pl. 10, fig. 8), the famous " Six Stones " from which all the Aos derive their origin, as well as the Phoms and, I think, Sangtams hereabouts. Only three of the six are standing, and the biggest (Pl. 11, fig. 1, |
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In some traditions the Chamir phratry do not spring from this female stone like the Pongen and Langkamr but come from one of the two " male" stones, which possibly reflects a real distinction in culture between the phratries, one of them, possibly having had a matrilineal system distinct from the patrilineal one of another stock. The Wozukamr clan are fined if they claim origin from the stones at all, as they are descended from an old woman who was weaving when a hornbill's tail feather fell on her from a bird flying over. This took place close to the morung in old Chongliemdi the site of which is still shown. This old village adjoined the Lungtrok, but what remained of it moved to its present site higher up about a generation ago. The old house sites are clearly identifiable in the jungle near Lungtrok. |
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We then visited Chatongre, a village of about 150 houses half a mile or so south of Chongliemdi. The drinking water at Chare all slightly flavoured with the blossoms of a flowering tree, and a very pleasant flavour it was. |
