| Description |
Beyond the daily harmonic life of the Lhop’s society, there lies an undisputed belief and idea on birth and death. Lhops have their own ways of interpreting the physiological and morphological processes of birth, growth, aging and death as it unfolds to them. As the child grows, she or he crosses different stages with status and roles and responsibilities in the community. They get educated in life skills and rituals of life. Their departure or separation is also honored with elaborate rituals.
It is considered as a taboo for Lhops to accept a child from a female who has no approved partner in the community or outside mates from the community. Ideally, it is the cross-cousins only who can give birth to a legitimate child in the society, though marriages between different clans are now accepted. However, marrying out of the community continues to be strongly discouraged. From the moment cross-cousins partners are born in the family, their marital and issues are thereon legitimate in the community, and so is their new born child.
Lhops has well and predetermined destined relationships when it comes to the copulation between male and female. Lhops believe that the copulation between male and female produces a child in which male contributes bone and female contributes flesh, but it does not mean that any male can impregnate a female, and be the father or husband of someone else. Cross cousins are referred to as Lhir-ra and Lhi-met, laterally meaning male and female seedling (Lhi- seedling, met- female, ra-male). They believe that the human body as a combination of flesh (sa) and bone (ruish).They believe that the male is like that of a seed (lhi) and rain (wai), while the female is like that of land or soil (boh) that holds the seed and rain water together to allow germination and growth, so as in the combination of bone from a male, and flesh from the female, that give rise to an individual.
Cross cousins undergo an educational process of identifying their mates and their families. They slowly start to develop a mindset and behavior towards their growing age and body. Once they reach a mature age, they are encouraged to execute the marital rules and take up roles in the community. Male partners take residence in the wife’s households, and it is a matter of pride for the female to conceive and have him in her house.
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| Social and cultural significance |
The birth of a first child for Lhop adults bring additional responsibilities related to family land and property. Birth, and becoming a parent is an important rite of passage for the Lhop couples, and they mark, and celebrate all its phases, from conception to the birth of a child, with a set of unique traditional rituals. The rituals signify important events in the life of new couples. These rituals are the indication of the continuity of the lineage and it is a matter of great pride. The husband in particular raises his status from being a resident-husband by qualifying to be a father of the future child and then as time passes he shall also become a Ku (maternal Uncle) with the responsibilities towards his own sister's children and wife 's brother's children for the furtherance of the both the lineage. |
| Transmission method |
Yu tungmini
When a woman is conceived, the news is immediately announced and shared with all relatives and neighbors. All of the people are invited especially their lineage for the celebration of the impending birth by observing Yu tungmini ritual or alcohol drinking ritual on a particular day.
Within 3 to 5 months of the pregnancy, the couple starts to prepare Yu (brew from local millet). When the Yu is ready, the husband (makpa) keeps an invitation on the door steps of his kith and kin. From a Belheng (bamboo tumbler) full of fermented millet (Yu) mixed with blood from freshly cut toes of a hen, a little fermented millet and smear of little blood of the hen is left at entrance door of all his kith and kin before they wake up. He leaves the following invitation message while leaving everybody's house “Na mato. Mato ha ta wei. Tadin dak ta wei. Tadin na rak an ba wei. Elka ya ta. Ya che yah rang ta wei”.
On hearing this invitation, all the relatives gather for the celebration at the couple’s house, and those who cannot make for the celebration, the husband reaches a Belheng of Yu at their homes, later. The husband offers Yu to all the brothers-in-law, wife's maternal uncles (who is most often his own father) first by taking the container to their mouths three times and then all other kinsmen, including children are offered Yu and butter.
The brothers-in-law and uncles put maika-tashi; a mark on the forehead of their son-in-law while saying the words; “Guley tashi tshering ta wei. Mayo ta wei. Lo ku ta wei. Puku ta wei. Sa mei ta wei” which loosely means “let good luck be on the mother, brother and maternal uncles”. This transition is celebrated with much essential meaning to the couple for the new life.
Mamang
Mamang is another ritual that is observed when the pregnancy reaches nine months, with the help of an elderly man. This special ritual is carried out to ward off evil and to ensure a safe and smooth delivery of the child. Either a goat or a cock is sacrificed to the household deities by cutting off the head, which is buried in the earth in front of the house signifying subjugation of evil spirits and bad luck. Everyone in the household, except the expectant mother and her husband, consume the meat.
When advancing to the last stage of pregnancy; in the final month of pregnancy, the husband erects a small house or improves the room for necessary preparation for delivery. The delivery is done with the help of his mother-in-law or wife's sisters who have experiences of child birth. When the child is delivered, the husband cuts the placenta (sema) with a sharp blade of bamboo called Payung, wraps it in a piece of cloth or leaf, and is hung from a branch of a tree not very far away from the house. A branch from Changsing tree is put on the entrance right from the birth, to ward off evil spirits.
The mother and the new born baby are kept in isolation for three days, since the Lhops consider the birth of a child as drib (impure). During this isolation period, the husband takes care of feeding, washing and cleaning the house. The sex of the child does not make any difference to the Lhops.
Panksang
On the third day, the isolation ends with a ritual called Panksang; a social cleansing ceremony. Any elder male of the household or the husband carries out this ritual. Before sun rise, water is collected from Amo Chhu river and is sprinkled inside the house as well as on the mother and child with the help of a branch of a plant called Lusing (Antemisic vulgaris). The house is also cleansed by the burning of aromatic plants, and three beads are tied around the neck of the baby in presence of all the relatives. All relatives and neighbors are offered Yu, especially prepared for the occasion, signifying that the child has now been welcomed into their community.
Minstang
Minstang, the naming ceremony is also carried out at the same time by an elder person or grandparents, or the parents. Lhops believe that a child does not become a complete being if not named by the end of the third day of its birth. All are served with Yu. Relatives or neighbors or guests do not bring any gift or present for the baby. The mother resumes her normal work in 15 days after delivery.
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| Community |
Lhop communities of Samtse and Chhukha Dzongkhags (districts).
Data collected by: Ms. Sonam Yangdon, NLAB. |
