Sherh.—This term is used to describe the portions of the animal sacrificed, which are reserved for the god or Huai. These portions vary slightly in different sacrifices, but, generally speaking, they are the extremities and some of the internal organs, such as the heart, liver, or entrails. In every case the extremities are included. I believe the Khasis offer these to the “thlen.”[1] I have found the Manipuri iron-workers when about to work a new deposit, also offer the hair from the end of the tail and from the fetlocks, and a little blood drawn from the ear of the buffalo, to the local god. Having become Hindus, they can no longer kill the animal as their forefathers did, but still make this offering of the “sherh.” “Sherh” is also used in the sense of tabu. Thus a house in which a sacrifice has been performed may be said to be “sherh,” meaning that no one outside the household may enter it. Portions of the animal killed are kept for certain periods, during this time are “sherh,” and cannot be touched by outsiders. A woman is “sherh,” for some days after her confinement, and during that time must not go to the water supply.
Thiang-lo is translated by the missionaries as “unlawful,” but I think “unlucky” more exactly represents the meaning, which is that a certain act will be followed by some misfortune to the doer.[2]
The sacrifices made by Lushais may be divided into eight classes.
- 1. Sākhua.—A sacrifice to the guardian spirit of the clan or family.
- 2. Khāl.—These are sacrifices to Huai supposed to frequent the village and houses.
- 3. Daibawl.—These are to propitiate the Huai in the jungle, streams, and mountains.
- 4. Various sacrifices in case of sickness.
- 5. Sacrifices to cure barrenness in women.
- 6. Nao-hri.—These sacrifices should be performed once in a lifetime in a particular order.
- 7. Sacrifices connected with hunting and killing animals.
- 8. Sacrifices connected with jhuming.
1. Sākhua. From the chant given below a good idea is obtained of what the word “Sākhua” means to the Lushais.
Each clan has a special chant or invocation, and though in almost every case the animal sacrificed is a big sow, yet the method and place of the sacrifice and the disposal of the “sherh” vary in each clan, and uniformity in this respect is looked on as proof positive that two families belong to the same clan.
Among the Lushei clans the sacrifice must be performed by a pui-thiam of the clan, and the pig is killed outside the house, but is brought in to be cooked and eaten. The legs and ribs have to be kept for three days above the rafters, and during this time they are “sherh,” and if they are touched by anyone of another family, someone of the household performing the sacrifice will suffer in some way, unless another pig is quickly killed. The skull of the animal is hung on the centre post inside the house. The sacrifice is generally made about once in four years, unless the pui-thiam advises the performance more frequently on account of sickness. The following is the chant or invocation used by the pui-thiam at this sacrifice. Each invocation begins and ends with a long drawn out note. The refrain “And accept, &c.,” is repeated after each line.
Ah—h. Arise from the village. Aw—w.
And accept our sacrifice.
Ah—h. Arise from the open spaces in the village. Aw—w,