| text: |
The whole of the people in a large tract in the South-east have received the name of Anal-Namfau from the two largest villages amongst them. These people say, they came from a position South of their present one, and they celebrate in their songs the beauties of the land of their origin. In personal appearance they are much like Khongjais, with whom though they are at deadly feud, they appear to have affinity. The Anals, in more immediate connection with Munnipore, have been corrupted so far as to have given up many of their former customs. They have now no longer amongst them hereditary chiefs, but the villages in the interior retain their old habits and hereditary heads. Their houses are made like those of the Khongjais, and in their social usages there is but little difference. From its birth every male child is called "mote", and every female one "keenoo", their ears are pierced at the annual festival for this purpose, and a distinguishing name is added to the mote or keenoo, but for this there does not appear to be any fixed time, or particularity as to the name to be given. Their marriages are effected much in the same way as those of the Khongjais. After the first application for their daughter, if the parents consent and drink of the wine brought, the young man goes to the girl's father's house as accepted husband. After this the young man, four different times, feasts the brides family, at the fourth feast they settle what is to be given finally for the girl; the rich giving according to their means, and the poorer according to their, not less however than a pig and piece of iron one cubit long. The want of eye-brows and eye-lashes is amongst this people admired, and the young men to render themselves attractive carefully extract them. |
