The Kachins

Kachins are savage tribes found in the North and North-East of Burma. They call themselves Chimpows. They come from the North and are now masters of mountain ranges parity in Burma and partly in Burma and partly in Yunnan (China). They comprise five principal tribes: the Marips, the Lathongs, the Lophais, the Nitums and the Marans. The Lophais have a sub-tribe known as Kouris. The author of the Volume was a Christion Missionary who was entrusted with the evangelization of the Kouri tribe during the early decodes of nineteeth century. It goes to his credit that he made a most extensive study of the life and customs of the Kochins and recorded the same in this interesting book. The present book is a veritable encyclopedia of all knowledge about the Kochins-their ways of life and customs, their wonderful mythology dealing with the principles of their existence. Their rituals, their gods and their ancestors. They worship a multitude of spirits which they call as nats whom they offer continually sacrifices of animals in in order to oppease them and to secure their good will. Kachins have to writing. But an great feast days their Jai-wa the narrators of the traditionc (reasmbling the old bords) transmitted to one another, by wordof mouth, the legends about the origin and explanation of their customs and superstitions. The Jai-wa also called good fathers by virtue of their old age, rank and obuility to narrate mythological fales. On occasions of great feasts, the grand father or Jai-wa used to put on a long robe, covered his head with a helmet adorned with tusks of a wild boor and long feathers. He asked the good spirits and manes of his ancestors to come and sit down by his side to assist him in reciting the idea of the post. One such bard, the author found, narrated to him the ancientk legends of the Kachine for four days and four nights. It is a highly interesting which will not only interest the students of tribal lore and mythology but will prove equally useful for anthropologists and these who are interested in the study of tribal history and culture.