Mothers at a remote village in Meghalaya call their children not by their names, but by songs given to each of them - a tradition handed down through generations.
Mothers at a remote village in Meghalaya call their children not by their names, but by songs given to each of them - a tradition handed down through generations.
Sounding similar to the tweets of birds, children at Kongthong village in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hill district, 60 km from Shillong, are called by specific Jingrwai Iawbeis or lullabies which are given to each of them at birth.
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At least 500 variations of the short songs prevail in the village which, like the rest of the state, follows a matrilineal society pattern. They are oral, have not been codified and differ in each household. "If a family has 10 children, there will be 10 different songs to address them. The duration of the song may vary from one second to two minutes," Kyrtaid Majaw, the headman of Kongthong village, said.
While the children also have regular names, these are used for purposes other than addressing them. Other people also make use of the songs to call them.
Endorsing the practice, college student Rothell Khongsit says, "We instantly recognise the short songs when we hear them." Having popularised the 'songs of recognition' among his college friends in Shillong, he feels they have taken a great liking to it. It is believed that the songs can be so effective that a child lost in a crowd can come back to its relatives upon hearing them.
"When we go to a crowded place like Shillong, we often miss the children. But they come back to us once they listen to our songs," says Isslowell Khongsit, a teacher from the village. However, girls cannot use this musical language to address their male companions.
The distinctive practice has attracted the attention of Germans, Japanese, American and Welsh scholars, with them visiting the village to study the practice. Unqiue to the village, this practice has not been inherited by other Khasi tribesmen.
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