166 THE NON-LUSHEI CLANS CHAP.

met his death until appeased by an offering of tobacco leaves
•and rice. The Tikhup funeral is exactly the same as that of an
ordinary Lushai. The Vaiphei dress up the corpse and strap it
on to a bamboo frame, as do the Lushais, and feast around it
for three days if food and drink suffice for so long. At the end
of the feast the thempu pours some zu down the throat of the
corpse and bids the spirit go in peace, and the body is carried
to the grave, but if the deceased has attained Thangchhuah
^honours, it is first carried round the village. The household of
the deceased abstain from washing or dressing the hair till some
wild animal has been killed. The custom of giving something
to the maternal grandfather or uncle on the occasion of a death,
known among the Lushais as " lukawng," is found among
several clans. Among the Tikhup and Kolhen, for instance, he
receives the neck of the animal killed on the occasion of the
funeral and in the last-named clan he also receives a pipe or
Rs. 2/-, The custom known among the Kabui and other allied
tribes in Manipur as " mandu," which ordains that a widower
shall pay his deceased wife's father a certain sum as the price
of her bones, is only found among the Kolhen, with whom it is
usual to pay Es. 5/- or 6/-. Among the Kolhen a child dying
within ten days of its birth is buried under the eaves of the
house, and is- called " thichhiat " equivalent to the " hlamzuih "
among the Lushais.

Festivals. 1. Connected with Crops.—The Tikhup, the only monothe-
istic clan in the hills, have no ceremonies connected with the
crops, but allow no dancing, singing, or music in the village
"between the sowing and the reaping.

Among the other Old Kuki clans there is a great resemblance
between the festivals, and their connection with the Lushai
"Kuts" can be easily traced—in some cases, as among the
Kom, the name being actually the same.

A festival which is common to several clans and generally
takes place in the spring, though sometimes later, and is
supposed to ensure good - crops and good luck generally, is
known by various similar names, all meaning " Pulling the
Creeper."

Kolhen " Keidun" Festival.—This occurs in April. The
first day, called " Karamindai," or " Changritakhoi/' is occupied