Mawrie, Barnes L.;
Introduction to Khasi Ethics
DBCIC Publications, Shillong, 2005
ISBN 81854080035
topics: | khasi | india | morals | folk
this book is a scholarly attempt at placing khasi customs in the modern context. it provides a fascinating description of the social norms of what remains essentially a traditional matriarchal society with a strong occult tradition. there is an attempt to integrate the questions into mainstream western thought, but this is utterly shallow and the text could have done better without these sprinkling of references to kant and bentham. however, the end-notes that refer to various texts can be quite useful for further studies. the narrative construction is somewhat ineffective, and there are quite a few infelicities of grammar, but on the whole, the story lives because of its freshness. Keeping the khasi terminology intact is an important aspect. --- Barnes L. Mawrie SDB, a professor at the Sacred Heart Theological College, is a doctorate in Catechetics from the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. He is the author of The Khasis and their natural environment (2001). He is the asst Director of the Shillong institution - the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures, an impressive collection of indigenous traditions from all over the Northeast. This book was published by DBCIC and seems hard to get hold of otherwise. (see this article on the DBCIC)
Every Khasi lives not as an individual but as he or she is directly linked to
his or her social group, the kur. The moral norms of the kur determine
the ethics of khasi culture. 8
kur = social group or clan, often inter-related. formed by the process of
division of ancestral property.
the kur is akin to the greek polis - as a social group that is the origin
of its ethical rules. 10
According to the Khasis, religion is a relationship between God and man,
governed by two factors - ka nia (reason) and ka jutang (covenant).
ka nia: tells them that they belong to God entirely; they follow the great
commandments of God - love one's fellowmen, be loyal to one's kur, and
to earn righteousness.
ka jutang: binds the khasi to the principles of the kur.
[the two are inter-related; any violation of jutang disturbs the ka ania]
Khasis believe their ancestors were put by God in seven huts around Sohpet-Bneng. [Sohpet-bneng was the "lower seven huts" of the same village in which the other nine were residences for the divine. A golden ladder connected the two in the form of a oak tree. But the tree was felled, but the remaining stub is believed to exist on Sohpet-Bneng, which is a pilgrimage peak today. see http://www.nehu.ac.in/dsw/sohpetbneng.php ] Both the Khasis and the Jaintias are descended from the hynniew trep. The Jaintias or Pnars as we call them today are only a name invented by the British in pursuit of their policy of 'divide and rule'. They are only one race of people. p.13 Khasi tradition holds that during the second divine assembly, (ka durbar-blei-ba-ar) God asked every creature on earth what they would like to possess for themselves. The Hynniew-trep (seven huts) said to God, "Give us only one thing - that we may live to earn righteousness". This request pleased God immensely, and God blessed them. Since then the Khasis have maintained the commandment "to earn righteousness" (ban kamai ia ka nok) as the most sacred law; those who live this commandment faithfully will earn a rich reward in heaven. p.19
ancestral property, owned by the kur: ka nongkynti-ka kur self-acquired property: ka nongkynti lajong. The property of the ancestral group is divided among the daughters, the largest portion going to the youngest daughter or khatduh, who is given extra wealth so that she can meet the needs of religious rituals etc. If the property is small, the khatduh gets it all. Ancestral property cannot be sold off by its present owner, but must have the permission of the family. The self-acquired property, ka nongkynti lajong, is completely in the power of the mother. She can deal with it in whatever way she pleases. She is not obliged to divide it among her children. At the death of a mother, the ka nongkynti lajong passes to the children. the father retains some rights in case he also participated in earning it. in any event, the father cannot be driven away by the children. 32 In some groups like the Jaintias and Shella, the males live in their mother's kur, but only visit his wife from time to time. thus, his earnings form part of the property of his mother's kur. 32 marriages involve extensive social discussion among families (cannot be within the same family group). A khasi can have one wife by a formal alliance, but he can keep a another woman as his partner by an informal alliance. The first wife is called ka tnga trai (real wife) and the second wife is ka tnga tuh (stolen wife). khatduh: youngest daughter of the family, the guardian of ancestral property. wields great authority within the clan. p.vii
eldest male member of the clan or the rangbah-kur is the guardian of the clan council or the durbar kur. This is the meeting of the members to discuss adultery, trespass, damage of property, theft, etc. The decision of the rangbah-kur is final. The durbar kurs are joined together across clans to form a village, regional and state level durbars, the last headed by the syiem or king. 48 Killing of a robber or a nongshohnoh an evil spirit seeking human sacrifice is not a serious offence; requires the deposit of Rs. 5 and one pig to the court. Adultery has a fine of rs. 1100 and one pig. This amount was very large, and instead, it was acceptable for a man who found his wife in bed with another to kill both. The punishment of rape was life imprisonment if the woman is married but only a heavy fine if the woman is unmarried. the most serious social transgression is incest (ka sang) where one co-habits within the same clan. your ashes are not placed in the ancestral tomb - i.e. you are excommunicated forever. there is no expiation; you cannot get pardoned by paying a fine etc. (see PRT Gurdon's The Khasis, 1914) for more)
ki puriskam and khanatang: At night, when the earth is still and the hearth is warm, the elders gather their children around them and instruct them through stories. many of these tales have a strong moral.
the king is away for several years and the queen falls in love with the outcaste (raitong) flute player. immediately after the king's return, a son is born. the story ends in tragedy when manik is sentenced to death on a pyre, but the queen also jumps into it and they are both burned to death.
the peacock is unfaithful to his wife, the Sun, when he sees a mustard field in bloom and falls in love with it. He leaves his wife and flies down to earth to be with the mustard field. But upon reaching earth, he realizes that it is only a field. The sun, ka sngi enjoins him to take her to wherever he was going. Khasi women are exhorted to be faithful like the sun (feminine).
[incest, or marrying within the clan (ka sang), is the most serious moral sin; you are excommunicated forever.] The sun was the sister of the moon. Moon wanted to make love with her, but the sun scolded him and sprinkled ashes on his face. These are the blemishes on the moon. Since then the moon never appears with the sun. 61 (detailed story at: K.U. Rafy, folktales of the khasi)
links overview: http://www.indiaprofile.com/lifestyle/khasitribals.htm legend of U Manik Raitong: http://www.museindia.com/viewarticle.asp?myr=2005&issid=4&id=143