The Baites of Manipur-2 (December 7)
By L.D Mate

Hunting and fishing: The male Baites are fond of hunting. A Baite who kills a big game is honored in the society. When a Baite hunter kills big games such as tiger, elephant, he sang, Baite hunter song.

The Baite use different kinds of traps known as Thangpi, Thangte, Thomthang, Sachep, Pellian, Songpehoel, and Pelneo etc. to trap animals. The Baite have different methods of fishing - one most common method is by poisoning the stream with various leaves, seeds, barks and poisonous roots, known as ' Gu '. The second method is - Ngoido or Ngoitun. Here they make fences in the river and leave holes in the middles where they put bamboo baskets - fish trap made in a 'V' shape called ' Ngaibam '. The most common and simple method of fishing used by the Baite is by throwing the fishing net in the river to catch fish.

Industries: There are small scale and cottage industries like cane- work, basket making, blacksmith, mat making, woodwork etc. Weaving is popular amongst the Baite womenfolk. All cloth requirements in the family are produced by women. They also sell their products to earn cash, which supplements the earning of the family.

Baite Religious life: The Baites like other Kuki - Chin tribes recognize one - all powerful, Almighty God, whom they call ' Pathen; In the olden days, the Baites believe in the existence of various spirits, namely, Thingse, Twivamit, Gamkao, Pheisam, Lhadam, Joumi etc. They also worship - Nature and spirits and practice ancestor worship- Pugao. This sacrifice is done when one member in the family is sick and gradually becomes thin. Here in this sacrifice, a pig is killed and worship of Pugao is performed to appease the souls of ancestor.

Life after death: The Baites believed in the existence of soul after death. Immediately after the death occurs, a man, who is in the house must shout and cry accusing the objects they worship.

They believe in the existence of a place called ' Mithikho ' (village or land of the death). After death the soul of a person does not go directly to this ' Mithikho'. There is a woman called Khulsamnu. Khulsamnu, who sits by the roadside troubles the poor souls, compelled them to catch lice from her head. Her lice are not like that of human, but big insects. The souls of children used to be afraid of it. So, if a child died, they used to put some sesame in the nails of the deceased child. So, that, when the woman Khulsamnu compelled the child to catch her lice, the soul of the child could make the sound with the nails. However, when a man who had killed many big beasts and enemies, died, the soul of all the beasts, he had killed in his lifetime went along with his soul and Khulsamnu was afraid of
him. They believed, that ' Muithikho ' to be the top most place for their souls to live after death. Heaven is also the ' Mithikho ' itself according to their folk history.

Baite cultural life: 9A) Festivals, Sa - Aih, Chang - Aih and Chon were the main festivals of the Baites tribe. Lom: a Reciprocal labor contract system plays important role in the socio - cultural life of the Baites. Lom is of two kinds: Lompi (major) and Lomcha (minor). The duty of these Loms is to work together in the Jhum Field.

Music and Dance: Dance (Laam) associates with every Baite festival and unlike, the Naga dance; their dances are generally slow. Some of their dances are Toumunlaam (sitting dance by a single man), Dinmunlaam (standing dance performed by both male and female dancers). Sagol Keng Khai (a group dance), Jangchalam (another group dance), Suhtalaam (bamboo dance) etc. The most common and important musical instruments of the Baites are Gosem, Lhemlhai, Khong and Pengkul etc.

Dress and Ornaments: The Baite dresses are different from other tribes. The Baites men wear Puanza (a small cloth) on their shoulder down the thigh. The elder Baite men wear a piece of cloth 2.5 x 3 yards in
length, black color called Phaichom or die and an armed shirt around their body called ' Sangkhol Bansao.' They also wear Lukop 9 turban 0. Baite women wear a garment down below the knee and wear a short shirt (
puanve and sangkhol). Baite girls and women wears headdress locally called ' Lukon ' or ' Longkop '. This head decoration shown the difference of the Baite tribe from other tribes. This Longkip is a distinctive mark of the Baite tribe. Longkop made of Longchang (white beads) with bamboo pieces tied up with white threads. Longkop is the original - peculiar hair / head dress of the Baite daughter Vungveng was given when she was married to Mangvung, the youngest of Haokip clan. Her daughter started using the Longkop and claimed to be their own after hundred of years by the descendants of Mangvung + Vungveng. A quarrel arose between the Baite daughters and the Mangvung - Haokip daughters. In the year 1947, the case was finally settled by K. Kipgen, Circle Officer, Tengnoupal and Mombi camp at Mombi village in favor of the Baites. The chief of Mombi, Songkholun a Mangvung - Haokip chief, did not allow the Baite daughters to wear the Lukop inside his village and ordered the Baite house to shift from his village. If they want to do so. The circle officer settled the case.

Ornaments: The ornaments of the Baites. Baite women and girls wear Longchang, Longkop, Khi (Necklace), Chau (copper - disc), Bilba (ear rings) etc. Baite men and boys wear Humha (Tiger tooth) and
Bilkam (earring) etc.

Baite Political Organization: The Baites socio - political organization can be discussed at two levels: 1. Baite village political systems and 2. Baite tribe organization.

1. Baite village political system: The Baite chief - ship village are administered by chief whose position is strictly hereditary. The Baite chief is the absolute owner of his village land and property. He is assisted by village council members, nominated by the chief himself. The following is an illustration of the hierarchy of a Baite traditional village Government.

Haosa/Chief

Semang/Mantri

Pachong/Revenue Collector

Chongloi/Crier/Informer

Villagers

The present day Baite villages are governed as per the village Authority Act, 1956. The Baite chiefs still hold powers and privileges as the entire village land still belongs to him. He acts as ex-officio - Chairman of the village Authority. The Secretary and other members of Baite village authority are now elected by the members of the village.

to be continued/-

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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