i86 THE NON-LUSHEI CLANS CHAP.

our arrival in 1890, and, as in the case of the Vuite, we found
many of them living in a state of semi-slavery in the Sailo
villages, whence they have mostly rejoined their relatives, and
there are now 296 households of these people in the south-west
of the Manipur Hills and more in the adjoining parts of the Lushai
Hills. Lieutenant Stewart, in his description of the " Old
Kukis," states that ordinarily the dead are cremated, warriors
only being buried. I have never heard of any clan in these
hills which cremates its dead. The custom may well have died
out owing to the natural wish of the relatives to do honour to
the deceased by according him the honours of a warrior.
Lieutenant Stewart describes a regular marriage ceremony
conducted by the headman of the village, at the foot of a large
stone erected in the middle of the village. As far as my
enquiries go, the marriage ceremonies differ very little from
those of the Lushais.

The dress of the men is the same as among the Lushais, but
the women wear a petticoat with a broad white line between two
narrower blue ones, and dress their hair in a long plait wound
round the head. Zawlbuks are not maintained, but in other
respects their villages resemble those of the Lushais. The
village organisation is more democratic, the chief being replaced
by a headman. The honours of " Thangchhuah " and admission
to Pial-ral are obtained by three times celebrating the
Buh-ai festival. There is no restriction as to having windows.

When a young man wishes to marry he sends messengers
bearing a blue and a white cloth, a hoe, and a pot of liquor to
the girls' parents. This is called " In hawn." If the articles are
accepted the marriage takes place as soon as the necessary
amount of zu can be prepared. The bride's parents kill a pig
and the two families feast together. The girl is conveyed to
her husband's house by the men who arranged the marriage,
the party being pelted with dirt as among the Lushais.

In case of adultery, it is the seducer, not the woman's
relatives, who have to compensate the injured husband. This
is the common rule among non-Lushei clans.

A boy is named seven days and a girl five days after birth, a
red cock being killed and zu drunk. The maternal uncle gives
the name.