Occasion, Season and Duration

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Kathi kasham

Eight day: The representative of the dead, “Thila kaphunga” gives to the villagers, who already dressed up for the occasion, a specimen of dancing power in the large space called “Leingapha Kayang”. The village priest cut a portion of the skins of the Pigs killed on the fifth day and offer to “Kameo”. The remaining portion is cooked. After the exhibition by the “Thila Kaphunga”, the cooked food is taken and fed by the female members. Then the representative of the dead collects the clothes going from house to house.
Nineth day: This is a great day of feast. The family procures the plantain leaves to cover the pine torches, which are made extra-large for use at sunset. Pork and rice are cooked and placed on large plates with salt and fish and brought on the village compound. The relatives and friends gather at the lowest point of the village where a dead has occurred, each carrying his or her load of meat, ginger, rice, beer, and cloths. These are placed on mat in a row. Empty plates and pots are also placed near and are filled up. Everybody is dressed up for the occasion. When everybody is ready, the village priest gives a great shout “he hieina tatang Taranga” and everybody takes hold of the plates and pots and holding them above their head take all to the “Thila kaphunga”. When the sunset comes, there is a great procession headed with pine torch followed by a crowd of elders in their war garb and lastly the “Thila kaphunga” with lot of lamentation and grief. The procession proceeds slowly towards “Zaiphar” a spot at the north end of the village overshadowed by a large tree. The idea is the spirit need to be led in the gathering twilight to show them he way to their place of abode “Kazeiram” and warriors are also needed as a guard to protect them from all harm on their way. The spirit is supposed to enter into the lighted pine torches as soon as they are thrown down at “Zaiphar”. By the time, these torch reach this place, the “Thila kaphunga” have reach the limit of the village boundary. The headgear is broken on spot. The villagers return to the village while the torchbearers returned to the village taking another route. Before entering the house “Wonyaithing” structure, erect outside is dismantled. A torch is placed on a stone lighted just inside the house at the front door not to allow the spirits of the living to go off with the spirit of the dead.
Tenth day: This is a day of rest. It is believed that the embodied spirit in “Kazeiram” cut all their hair off on the tenth day and have a sort of wash and brush up to remove all connection with the mother earth. On this day, nobody is supposed to take bath or touch water.