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to Yazuthu; refusal to take mithan from Lakomi headman - demand son instead; Nitoi and Shietz land dispute; Cheshorr peace agreed; Kosanasami and Lhoshyepu land dispute; Yangpire and Mongre land dispute; Yazuthu log-drum; heads; women's tattoos and leggings; hearth stones; Y-posts and hour horns in Sema style; to Yezashimi |
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24th. Via Yazuthu to Yezashimi about 11 miles. A stiff climb to Yazuthu from the valley below Kishethu and two very steep descents, one from Kishethu and again another from Yazuthu. We camped by the Tsutha river just below Yezashimi which is about 500 ft. above the river and 200 yards or less distant in a direct line from it the path zig-zagging up the almost precipitous slope. Before we started the Lakomi headman offered me a mithun, but as the mithun had done no murder I refused it and demanded his son instead. |
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Men from Nitoi and Shietz came in about their land dispute. They don't want to fight and asked me to send a dobashi to settle it. I said that I would send a dobashi, but that if they afterwards rejected his decision or failed to observe it I should take no action, but mention to Gwovishe's sons that the road to Shietz was still open if Shietz was the offender and to Thachumi that Nitoi had hurt my feelings, if Nitoi transgressed. Both parties asked for the interpreter Kohoto to fix the boundary. Chekiye of Lukami came in and Zukishe of Phesami again. Also the Cheshorr elders. They do not want war and Sittobung and Hezekhu patched up a peace on the status quo lines. The only man who wanted war in Cheshorr was the father of the boy killed. The rest agreed that it was his own silly fault. The survivor was apparently protected from the village who wished to kill him, by Zukishe's putting over his head a corner of his red cloth received from the Deputy Commissioner. Tootso of Kitangre came in for a cloth, and I told him I would give him one if he came to Kohima for it but that I still wanted Tsichimu of his village, who escaped from custody in 1921 and has never been caught. He said he could not possibly bring him as he had sworn to kill anyone who tried to, but I said that the matter had by no means escaped my memory and that sooner or later I should come his way again. |
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The villages of Kosanasami and Lhoshyepu are preparing war. They have a pretty land dispute to fight about and may just as well let a little blood and settle their differences. It will not amount to more than a riot, even if it ever gets as far as that. There is a similar dispute between Yangpire (Yatsimi) and Mongre. |
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Yazathu has a log-drum much like that of Shipungrr and the remains of a morung with a carved front post (Pl. 15, fig. 4 |
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The village is a mixed one being about two-thirds Sangtam, with a third Sema the Semas living in a separate " khel". It was founded by Yazuthu, a Sangtam from Yezashimi, which is now, at any rate a partly Sema village though in the latter Sangtam customs and blood are entirely predominant. There are oaks growing freely round Yezashimi. The Sema " khel " was fenced with euphorbia and cactuses (prickly pear). The morung in Yezashimi was on the usual Sangtam plan with bamboo horns from which hung cane globes representing heads, which were adorned like Konyak heads, with horns made roughly of wood and really looking more like wings and suggesting perhaps Sir Joshua Reynolds' cherubs. Inside was a drum of a pattern new to me. The head was a buffalo head, carved as usual, but the slit was along one side. I think also that what there was of a tail was in line with the slit. There was no tail in line with the head. Alongside it was a wooden platform for the drummers. [SKETCH |
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Rengcha told me that Phorre (Photsimi) his Southern Sangtam village, also used to make drums once, though not in his lifetime. |
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Kekhezhe of Tsukohomi came in for a cloth. He represents the companion of Gwovishe in founding the village. - The real chief is Hovokhu, Gwovishe's youngest son, I think, the elder brothers, at any rate having gone out in true Sema fashion to make villages of their own, and leaving the younger to inherit. |
