Indian Antiquary Vol 09

SR No.: 032501
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 398
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 124

106
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1880.
their right hand upon the stone during their Kanibani Zamindâr at five hundred rupees, while narration. In some of the hills they place the price of a ryot's head is from ten to twelve tiger's bone between their teeth before they rupees. Hence the Gâros are careful to reduce give evidence. On rare occasions they swear the skulls of their own kindred to powder, lest with their weapons in their bands. When a by accident or for gain they should find their Garo is sworn in the Goalpura Court a little way into the market. Of late years the British chalk scraped from the wall answers the purpose Government has brought its influence too near of earth. Amongst themselves, a lie is punished to admit of such raids. with instant death, not so much as an act of In case of disputes between clans, -and among justice, as of indignation. In case of murder, people so impatient of unjust disputes these the relatives of the slain are bound to demand are very serious--the territories of the hostile blood for blood, and ought according to Garo clans are mutually proscribed. Neither may custom to put to death either the murderer or eat or drink within the territories of the other, one of his kindred, or at least one of his slaves. food so taken would not nourish, water so drunk The offending family is then bound to retaliate, would be poison. The difference may be adjustand so on without ceasing, unless the Counciled by the intervention of a third party. The succeed in bringing about a reconciliation. angry clans may be brought together on neatral The mode of effecting this is by inducing the ground, that the case of quarrel may be disinjured party to accept a fine from the other ad cussed. If the arbitrator succeed in effecting the price of the blood.
peace, the parties swear to observe it, by biting In a deadly feud the weaker party flies to their swords: as a sign that friendly relations distant hill to elude the stronger. Both parties have been restored, the representatives of the immediately plant a tree bearing & sour fruit clans must put food into each other's months, called chalaka, and make a vow that they will and pour mhud, the festival beverage, down do their best to eat the fruit of that tree with each other's throats. the head of their enemy. A generation may I will only add Colonel Dalton's account of a pass away without opportunity of revenge. In building bee" among the Garộs. He witnessthat case the feud descends to the children. ed the process, and has thus described it: "At The successful person carries off his enemy's. the Lushkar's (chief's) village, there was a head, and boils it with the fruit of the tree considerable gathering of young people from all which had been planted; he then drinks of the the neighbouring villages, not often seen at this juices thus mingled, and the feud is at an end. season, as the inhabitants are occupied on their
When head hunting parties have succeeded farms, either planting cotton, or preparing their in massacring sufficient victims they call vast ground for cultivation. But I was most fornumbers of their friends to see the "reeking tunate in finding here a house-building party, heads," which they fill with wine and food, and a merry one it was. All the young men and dance round them, singing loud songs and young women of the Gundupåra clans were of triumph. After these rejoicings the heads employed, and most rapidly and yet neatly they are buried for the purpose of rotting off worked. The framework was ready, and they the flesh. When arrived at a proper stage, they were thatching ; curiosity at the sight of the are dug up and cleansed of their putrid flesh, stranger stopped them; but, on being reminded and then the warriors sing and dance round by some of their elders that the day is short, them again in triumph, and finally hang them they went briskly to work again. The girls upin the houses of the slayers as trophies. dived down the hills into the valley, and re"Skulls so taken have a marketable value, vary. appeared laden with bamboo-leaves, while the ing with the position of the owner, and the lads on the roof covered it in with them. A degree of hatred entertained for the victim." feast was in preparation for the house-builders, Thus the skull of a Gomasta, who bought provided by the individual who profited by Kalumabopara, was valued at a thousand rupees, their labour, and this is all his house cost and that of an India-Talukdar, an agent of the him."
From a paper on "The North-east frontier considered vol. II. (Dec. 1878), pp. 865-877. For an early paper on this Mission Geld in The Indian Christian Intelligencer tribe by Johu Eliot, see Asiat. Res. vol. II, pp. 17-87. D.