Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/150

118 explain the origin of head-hunting: "In ancient times, as the population increased, it was found that the mountain land was insufficient; so it was decided to divide the people into two groups, one to occupy the plains and the other to remain in the mountains. As it was difficult to count them, it was decided that each group should raise a shout to decide which was the greater. The leader of the party of the plains was a crafty man, and when the first cry was raised he hid half his party behind the mountains, so that the shout of his side was smaller. Then another lot of men was added to his side. When the cry was raised for the second time, that of the plains side was greater in volume, and the leader of the mountain side was angry because he was deceived. Then he tried to get back from the other side some reinforcements, but the other side would not consent. Finally the dispute was settled by a promise that henceforward the mountain side was to be allowed to practise head-hunting in the plain country whenever a human head was required." Such is the popular explanation, but we must seek the true cause in their religious beliefs and social regulations.

The Taiyal believe only in the existence of the spirits of the dead. Their idea is that a human being consists of body and spirit (Ottoffu); the latter becomes separated from the body after death and goes to the summit of the highest mountain, which they regard with great reverence and fear. They believe that when a man dies his spirit will not reach the place where those of his ancestors are collected unless he was successful in head-hunting during his life-time; otherwise his spirit goes down to the lower world or hell. They also believe that their fate is controlled by the spirits of ancestors. Sneezing is unlucky, as then the spirit is supposed to leave the body for a time. They also believe that natural calamities are due to the displeasure of the spirits of ancestors, and to propitiate them they perform head-hunting.