Khla and Kur: An Oral Series On Tiger-Clan Kinships
The Khonglah are a War clan originally from the southern slopes of Meghalaya. Mr Lamdang Khonglah narrates a a clan story fraught with struggle, desperation and survival.
In the old days, the Khonglah clan lived alongside the Kyrdep Tarang (Mr Lamdang says these still exist today, living somewhere in Manipur). In the War language, Kyrdep Tarang means “those with big ears”.
Over a period of time, it became apparent that the population of the Kyrdep Tarang was always increasing while that of the Khonglahs was forever on the decline. After a string of disappearances, it soon dawned on the distraught Khonglahs that the Kyrdep Tarang were, in fact, cannibals.
Unfortunately the Khonglahs could not escape the clutches of the Kyrdep Tarang who reared them as we would pigs or cattle. Eventually there was just one Khonglah left, a woman named Rynjong.
Faced with a grisly death, Rynjong resolved to escape by any means necessary. She managed to earn the trust of the Kyrdep Tarang over a period of time and one day under the pretense of fetching fruits from the jungle, she fled, all the while beseeching the gods for protection and deliverance.
As she ran from her pursuers, Rynjong came across a large tiger with a bone stuck between its jaws. This was preventing it from eating and it would have died of starvation if it were not for her help. As she jerked the bone away, the tiger swore an oath to repay her for her kindness and bounded away with her on its back. The Kyrdep Tarang were left trailing far behind.
In spite of the distance between Rynjong and themselves, the Kyrdep Tarang were a determined lot. They would not give up on the chase. Eventually the tiger decided that it was best to hide Rynjong in the bowels of the Dymbui tree. After some entreaty, the tree pitied her and opened its trunk wide for Rynjong to hide in. After this, it closed itself up, looking like any other ordinary tree in the jungle.
Upon seeing that the tracks of their prey had completely disappeared, the Kyrdep Tarang imagined that she had finally been devoured by the tiger. They left the area and returned to their homes, annoyed.
Only when it was completely sure that the coast was clear did the tiger come back for Rynjong and then it took her to safety at a great distance from her ancestral home.
Having been saved by the animal, the Khonglahs can never eat the meat of a tiger. It would be the ultimate taboo akin perhaps to cannibalism. In addition they are also prohibited from using the wood of the Dymbui tree because it was that plant which sheltered their ancestress from the terrifying Kyrdep Tarang.
Kane ka ba phin sngap ka dei tang kawei na bun tylli ki khana kiba pyni ia ka jingiadei kaba jan hapdeng ki kur Hynniewtrep Hynniewskum bad ki khla ha ki por hyndai hynthai.
Sngap ia i Ma Lamdang Khonglah, katba i iathuh khana shaphang ka kur jong i, ki Khonglah, bad kumno ba u khla bad u dieng dymbui ki pyllait im ia ka bei hyndai jong ki na ki kti jong ki nongbamdoh briew.
