1.
Means
of Salvation in Mara Primal Religion
The
Maras believed in the existence of soul and life after death and the main
objective of the primal religion was to enter into Peihrâh (paradise) after this worldly life. The only means to enter
into peihrâh was to obtain the title
called ‘noeihpa’ which means ‘extraordinary distinguished’. There are
two ways to obtain noeihpa- one was
to perform a series of sacrificial public feasts and the other was by killing
prescribed wild animals. The main purposes of noeihpa are that the performer might be fed with rice in peihrâh without any work to do.
Secondly, that they might escape the pellet of attack on their way to peihrâh and lastly, that they might earn
honor and respect in the society as long as they live.
1.1.Series
of Sacrificial Feasts
According
to Mara primal religion, there were some stages to perform in order to obtain
the coveted title called ‘noeihpa’
which means ‘extraordinary distinguished’. People who had performed these
series of sacrificial feasts were distinguished from ordinary people and were
treated with more consideration than the other people. A man had to perform the
following series of feasts in order to be entitled to the noeihpa position.
Ø Establishing
religion
Ø Bull sacrifice
Ø Honouring
ancestors
Ø Completion
of all religious rites
In
all these religious customs and ceremonies, drinking rice-beer was part of the
ceremonies and most of the traditional dances and singings were performed. J.
Shakespear clearly describes that all these feasts were performed with the idea
of pleasing God.[1]
It was not therefore, in their view, drinking bouts nor mere feasts, but deeply
religious to please God.
1.1.1.
Establishing
religion
The
Maras are deeply religious because none of the family existed without
establishing religious sacrifice. The most important sacrifice any Mara new
family had to perform was worship of the family or clan god. A castrated pig
always had to be kept by every family for this purpose. This sacrifice was performed by the theithai (priest)
and only members of the family could be present at the ceremony. The theithai
having pronounced blessings to all the household members would kill the
pig. The meat was cooked inside the house. When everything was ready the theithai,
standing in front of the sacrificial post, recited the incantation before
offering the meat set aside for sacrifice to god. A day of rest would then be
observed.
Theologically
the main purpose of the sacrifice here
was to establish one’s family religion with the aims of getting
protection from the Zo spirit who was the strong protector equivalent to
God. All kinds of sicknesses and illnesses were ascribed to the work of the
evil spirits and the main protection that they expected were perhaps from the
torments of the evil spirits.
1.1.2.
Bull (Viachao-Seih) sacrifice
The
bull sacrifice was not only a religious and public sacrificial ceremony,
but ensured the good health of the performers. Two boars and a sow were killed,
a boar was for the sacrifice to god and the meat of the sow was for children. Theithai
was the master of sacrifice and baotuhpa (assistant) also has a role
to play.
The
striking theological point for our present research is that the bull sacrifice
was a sacrifice to god. Accordingly, this sacrifice could be comparable to a
kind of praising God in Mara Christianity today.
1.1.3. Honouring
ancestors
This sacrifice was
an important step towards and part of a big festival in honour of one’s ancestors
and deceased near relatives in which their effigies were carried in a group and
seated on the platform specially made for them. In the middle of the effigies
one “thlahpa” (ancestor) was made taller and bigger than the other
effigies. Thlahpa was the central figure in this ceremony representing
the original ancestor of the clan. At the inauguration, the performer gave all
the effigies rice-beer on the platform and started crying out loudly, calling
their names. Then the platform was carried to the centre of the village,
beating with the gong. The whole villagers were watching with great respect and
awe. After that the animal was again killed and continued the feasts. This
festival seems to be like worshiping ancestors.
But
the author’s view and argument is that the primary purpose of this was the worship of god,
who created their ancestors and also honoured their ancestors in their worship
of god. In support of this view, Charles H. Kraft’s critique maintains that the
term [ancestor worship] is the product of western worldview limitations, rather
than an accurate designation of such customs. More appropriate would be a term
such as ‘ancestor reverence’ or ‘ancestor veneration’ or even ‘ancestor cult’.
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