The Maring tribe: Customs and beliefs

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Authorship

Text: Maring Uparup Assembly (MUA)

Project coordinators: Parhai Kothil, Pastor Ezekiel Keisha, Khullak Mokhulshim, Larung Koin Dangshawa, Kansam Moran Kleya and Dangsawa Moran Maring.

Photographs: Rashingam Ngoruh and Ramesh Angom.

Design concept: Muidou Makunga

Indpaedia conversion: Parvez Dewan The Maring tribe: Customs and beliefs

THE NAMING SYSTEM

The traditional systems of giving names to a son or a daughter after birth by the Marings is of the highest standard which is not found elsewhere in any parts of the world. Through this system, a male or a female child could be recognized easily whether he or she is a first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth son or daughter. The system of nomenclature is given in the table below –

Table

Name of Clan	Sex	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Charang	Sons	Mo	Ko	Me	Ang	Lei/Tol	Khàm
	Daughters	Te	To	Tung	Shangkhu	Lei/Tol	Khàm
Dangsha	Sons	Mo	Ko	Me	Ang	Lei/Tol	Khàm
	Daughters	Te	To	Tung	Shangkhu	Lei/Tol	Khàm
Makung	Sons	Mo	Ko	Me	Ang	Lei/Tol	Khàm
	Daughters	Te	To	Tung	Shangkhu	Lei/Tol	Khàm
Tontang	Sons	Mo	Ko	Ang	Me	Mi	Lei/Tol
	Daughters	Te	To	Tung	Shangkhu	Lei/Tol	Khàm

 

Table ends

The nomenclature given in single syllable in the above table is a traditional norm and is a prefix only. The suffix to these can be added according to ones own choice and preference. Every Maring while giving name to his sons or daughters is a must to use these prefixes.

INDIGENOUS FAITH AND BELIEF

The Indigenous faith/belief (Primal religion) of the Marings has been firmly based on traditional ways of invocations, worships, offerings, sacrifices, make appease and healing. They believed in all these systems and practiced them for their sustenance.

The Marings believed that there is one God, who is known as Ûm (the Supreme Deity, whose nature is benevolent). He is believed to be only one and is above all. He is the Creator (Shímpí-Sāpí Pu) of all things, including heavens (thȧngwān, nungthou, khiya ram) and human beings and things; the Sustainer (Dunpi-yukpi Pu), the God of Universe (Shimlei¬Thȧngwān Pu). Besides this, they worshipped other lesser gods or gods of the lower realm called ‘Thrai’. They also worshipped the local deity called Rampu-tupu/ram thrail/lûkböm thrai (god of the high places/sacred places); they also believed in the village deity (Kholamun pu/palshúng thrai); and the ‘ancestral deity’ called Chím-thrai. Whenever the Marings worship the God/Ûmpu or the deities, they make offerings (thuinapût makat), sacrifice animals (malāmthut), ranging from a mere offering of water (yúykhying bunsunda) to an offering (sacrifice) of big animals like Mithun (Shirim), pigs or ritually accepted animals/birds like hens/cocks or chickens and even the ritual feasts were performed in the worship.

The Marings also believed in the existence of the evil spirits or devils, called Shea-krao, langa (lhim-krao), tathi-tahoi khî-krao, kmãng-krao, etc. These are the malevolent spirits, which caused sickness or diseases and sufferings to human beings. These devils or the evil spirits are not worshipped, but they were propitiated/appeased with sacrifices of animals called luk-khãng or luk-thũt or puluk-thût, so that they don’t harm or trouble human beings.

The Marings believed that there is life after death. They believed that those who died in good deed will go up above, while the bad will go below to a place inside the earth i.e. khiya ram (the hell or the place of dead). But those who died in an extraordinary/unnatural manner will flit about between heaven and the earth (in uncertain place). The reward of a virtuous life is immediate, since “after death the good are born again at once into this world.” Mr. T. C. Hodson quoted this line from the descriptions of R. Brown- A Report for 1868-69, p.127.*8

The Marings performed ritual rites in every feast or festival and various occasions connected with the traditional and customary functions such as seed sowing, harvesting, house constructions and inaugurations, child births, cleansing ceremony after the child birth (túytrum kngei), marriage and death or condolence and funerals, etc.

Marings worship God in different forms and places according to the situations and occassions. They worship the household deity as chímthrai. The local deity is worshipped as rampu-tupu. The deity (God) of high places/sacred places or groves is worshipped as Lukbam thrai; the village Altar deity is worshipped as Kholamun Pu; the fertility deity (god) is worshipped as Umhai. The God of blessing is worshipped as Umkarsui-Umkarshang. Above all, the Marings worshipped the God of Universe (Shimlei-Thȧngwān Pu), the Creator of both living and non-living beings as Shímpí-Shapípu Dunpu. They also worshipped the spirits of the Patriotic Heroes of the village(s) inorder to protect the village(s) or the villager(s) from their enemies and the evils and even to help them in the warfare or in the battle fields to confront their enemies during the times of head huntings.

RITUALS

RITUAL LIFE OF THE MARINGS

Sacrifices and giving feasts to the public are so important in the Maring ritual life and the following ritual activities are based on the agriculture in the calendar year.

I. Kumrȧn chêr/Phungtung chêr = New Year

2. Yúydingcha makat = Offering of holy water(s)

3. Phúngting/phúngrîng = Repairing of log drum

4. Palshā/palthũng bún = Repairing of village gate

5. Chímthrai khrum (chímlhou tou) = Worshipping of the household deity

6. Nungkum (khúng kãp/pnung fyoú) = Arrow shooting festival

7. Chímcháng = House inauguration

8. Nao-mȧnshim = Birth day ceremony

9. Chā dā/bālh tlā = Seed sowing/Luingaini

10. Lám klai = Cleaning/repairing of village roads

11. Schei chȧn (Trûn khũm/Trûn klûk) = Harvesting festival

12. Chārȧn mártȧm (Chínnoú mártȧm) = Tasting of new food-stuff

13. Knā-thúí = Worship by offering something

14. Knā bul/knā shím = Worship for healing

See also

The Maring tribe: Culture and lifestyle <> The Maring tribe: Customs and beliefs <> The Maring tribe: Economy <> The Maring tribe: History <> The Maring tribe: Laws and administration <> The Maring tribe: Society and polity <>The Maring tribe: Sports and pastimes …all in English;

and

Maring: Lei Chuinei Lammit/Ayil (Nu-Kungnei Ayil) and Maring: Nu-Ngainei Làmmit/Ayil in the Maring language (Roman script).