Details

Latitude

28.12485

Longitude

94.35585

Start Date

2015-01-25

End Date

2015-01-25

This recording was taken in Taduk Mize's house at his request, and showcases his personal demonstration of traditional Minyong life. The speakers are aware of the video recording, and are to a large extent acting for the camera. Nevertheless, there is a good amount of perfectly reliable cultural information discussed. The discussion begins with Taduk Mize demonstrating how ginger is grated using a dried stick of thorny cane keyɨɨ. The speaker announces that he is preparing for a long trip to the forest to look for young mithuns that have had their ears marked for identification. His wife helps him during his preparations. He explains why one shouldn't eat meat except for rodents and pork during this event. This topic is followed by another topic on earthen pots, which are still being used in Riga village. The design patterns on an earthen pot are called monmaŋ in Riga village. Again the speaker explains the need to mark mithuns on their ears for identification, now describing how it is done. The ear is cut in a pattern that varies from clan to clan. After the ear is cut, ginger is used as antiseptic and applied on the wound. In this event a piak ritual is performed, in which a leaf of əkkam 'Zingeberales spp.' is placed on the man's backpack. This is done as a sign to demonstrate ownership over the animal, as against the mountain spirits who had been the owners up to that point. This will be followed by ləŋot, wherein two bamboo poles are erected on the stairs of the house, crossing each other towards the top. Such rituals are performed for the prosperity of the mithuns, and also to ward against the mithuns' going savage and destroying crops.

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