________________
OCTOBER, 1897.]
1. Divisions of the Year.
The greater divisions of time are reckoned by monsoons (shom-en-yuh, or shom-cn-yüh). As each monsoon lasts six months, more or less, two successive shom-en-yuhs represent approximately one solar year. Roughly speaking, the South-West monsoon (sho-hong) continue from May to October inclusive, and the North-East monsoon (fül) from November to April. In order, therefore, to denote a period equivalent to our solar year the Nicobarese describe it either as an (two) shom-en-yuh or as heang (one) ful heang sho-hong.
Sheh Hammua . Channi....... Daneh-poah.......... Mana(k)-nga-pooh Lanenli and, or, Läh-meluh
The monsoons are subdivided into lunar months (kahe) and, as the change of monsoon may take place during the course of the "moon" in April-May and of that in OctoberNovember, fourteen terms are in use for the purpose of indicating the possible number of lunations, or fractions thereof, which can occur in the two monsoons. The terms are as follow, the first five in each monsoon invariably occurring in the order given:
S.-W. Monsoon (Sho-hōng).
N.-E. Monsoon (Ful). Kakà-tôk.... Tu-it Hamak Mitosh...... Mokheak
Dana-kapa and, or... March-Ape)
Kaba-chui(j)
************
***********
Ilue.....
.........
*********
NOTES ON THE NICOBARESE.
T (,,
***********
(about April-May)
( » May-June) ( June-July)
99
("
(
......
***.**
July-Aug.) Aug.-Sept.)
Sept, Oct.)
39
If, at the termination of the Mana(k)-nga-poah Moon, the weather prove stormy the new moon is called Laneih, but if the weather be mild and indicative of an early change of monsoon it is called Lüh-meluh. Similarly, at the corresponding period in the N.-E. monsoon, the sixth Moon is called Danah-kapâ, if there appears to be no likelihood of an early change in the direction of the wind, and Kaba-chui(j) in the contrary case.
33
*******...
When the change of monsoon occurs, the name of the "moon" then running is changed to that of the first" moon" of the new monsoon; hence it generally happens that Sheh and Kakatôk continue only for a fraction of a "moon," viz., for the unexpired period of the "moon" during which the change in the direction of the wind occurred. By this means the error which arises from adopting the lunar year of thirteen complete lunar months is avoided. The chief point for the stranger to bear in mind is that the reckoning is by halfyears, and not years, so that in referring to a period of 7 shom-en-yuhs 3 solar years. (approximately) would be meant.
In like manner at Car Nicobar they have the following fourteen terms to denote the possible number of lunations or fractions thereof in the course of the two monsoons:S.-W. Monsoon (Mes-sunga). N.-E. Monsoon (Komfuata). (about April-May) *Penyai-ñòng-makek -( May-June 30 Ra-nânga.................... ( June-July) *Tenlon-long-kun ta July-Aug.) *Kenrui (d)-ngaran-kamòp.( Aug.-Sept.) *Cha-nül-ne and, or,..... *Ka-nai(t)-el-ta-ôka
..("
Sept.-Oct.)
*********
.......
Ta-sela
269
(about Oct-Nov.) (,, Nov.-Dec.) (,, Dec.-Jan.) Jan.-Feb.) Feb.-March)
("
("
39
(about Oct.-Nov.) Teng-tak-ken-chuta. ( Nov.-Dec.) *Ka-run-ngarit ( Dec.-Jan.) *Inôka-ta-wie ********.
******...
(
Jan.-Feb.) Feb.-March)
Kenchut-tang-kòng... ( Kenchut-miringa and, or, LA-nen-nga-el-kui-ta-iawa
37
33
} (,, March-Apl.)
29 A period equal to a lunation is styled kama-henua (from kahe, moon, and hen, time), hence, for example, the period from the full-moon in Sheh to the full-moon in Channi would be spoken of as an kama-henwa (not an kihe) two lunar months.
se At this island (Car Nicobar) custom prescribes a day of rest (called andi-ila) on the 7th day of the moon, at full-moon, and on the 22nd day of the moon, but only in those "moons" marked. From their long intercourse with Burman traders and seamen there can be little doubt that the practice is traceable to the Burmese institution of "worship-days" (bik-n), which, in addition to those above-mentioned, include the last day of the month, thereby numbering four in all.
