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Chapter Twenty-seven. Return to Nagaland |
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funeral an example of intermeshing of Christianity and traditional beliefs |
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This funeral was a good example of the intermeshing of two different traditions and practices, and the way in which Konyaks combine Christian elements with their old funeral customs. The burying of the corpse is a concession to new ideas, but the erection of a palm-leaf shelter recalls the time when the dead were exposed on bamboo platforms. Similarly the sacrifice of dog and chickens, and the reading of prayers from a book are two ways of aiding the progress of the deceased in the next world. |
