| caption: |
Chapter Four. Religious Beliefs and Practices |
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Gawang disapproves of selling, buying, and killing of slaves |
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It is a matter of some surprise that Gawang was believed to disapprove of certain customs well established in Naga society. We have seen that Konyaks, though not keeping slaves themselves, occasionally bought slaves and killed them in order to gain head trophies, but some old men of Wakching spoke with great indignation of the villages to the east, where people used "to sell even their own children and kinsmen into slavery." My informants expressed horror at this practice, and emphasized that Gawang became very angry at the selling and killing of slaves and punished the culprits in this life. "Whoever sells a man into slavery or kills such a slave will die early and Gawang will not give him a son to continue his line." |
