10/11/2010 07:11

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Feature

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CHAPCHAR KUT- A FESTIVAL OF

HAPPINESS*
The villagers waited for the successful return of
their warriors. Their biggest pots, full of locally
made rice beer used to be ready to welcome the
intrepid hunters returning with their booty. The vil-
lage maidens were even more anxious, because

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they would then make ear rings, hair combs from
Mangjangam Touthang* the hones and teeth of the catches they would be
bringing home.

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Come the month of March and spring be-
gins its play of colours with the Nature around. But unfortunately the chief and his braves
This splash of colours heralds the festive mood in were not blessed by Chawngtinleri (the guardian
the lives of Mizos and they prepare themselves to queen of the beasts) and that made them return
celebrate Chapchar Kut, the festival of happiness. to village empty-handed to the deep despair of
It is considered to be the most important traditional the welcome party. Understanding the shame and
festival of Mizoram and is celebrated with great disappointment of his braves the chief instantly
pomp and splendour. proposed an impromptu festival - made up with

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drinking beer and feast to lighten the gloomy mood
The Mizos traditionally have three main of his braves. He himself showed up with a fat pig
festivals namely- Mim Kut, Pawl Kut and Chap- and a big rice beer pot asking each of his hunting
char Kut. mates to contribute fowls and beer pots.

““““ Origin

““ A feast was thus prepared with meat aplen-

ty and rice beer flowing. The village folks were also
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In the Mizo history around 1450-1700 AD requested to join the feast. The spirits then went
a Kawlni chief ruled over a village called Suapui high and the mood changed from disappointment
which was located within the territory of Myan- to merry making; young men and women joined
mar. In those days the highest aspiration of every hands and danced in circle; singing and clapping
young man was to excel in the feat of strength, their hands all the while.

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skill or bravery in the field or in hunting or even in
sports. Often the chief or his son led youngmen So the entire community enjoyed even
to the village to war or to hunting expeditions. The more than they would have done had the hunters
villagers anxiously awaited the successful return come back with rich booty. They would turn defeat
of the hunting teams for whom a special meat and into victory as it were and so all the folks joined in
joliprint

Zu (rice beer) were unusually prepared by them. It singing, dancing and merry making. Seeing the
was followed by great rejoicing by the whole village. happy singing and delighted folks the Suapui vil-

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lage chief thought that it should be repeated every
As the legend goes, one fine spring mor- year at the same time. This gave birth to the most
Printed with

ning the chief of Suapui led his village braves to loved Mizo festival known as Chapchar Kut. The
a hunting expedition into a deep forest full of wild delightful dance called Chai also found its origin.
animals. The hunting expedition took several days.

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Feature

““““ Celebration vation. This resulted in famine and the villagers

dispersed to the neighboring villages.

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In course of time, Chapchar Kut began
to be celebrated in all the Mizo villages beco- These days the practice of mass feas-
ming a very important cultural tradition in the ting, drinking of locally-made beer and dancing
society. Each village developed its own brand throughout the night has died down. Now arrange-
of celebration to suit its own time, idiom and ments are made for presenting traditional dances
ethos over the years. The celebrations carried of the Mizos. Colourful parading of different clans
on for four to five days. with their traditional proceedings almost parallels

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the Christian way of life.

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On the first day pigs were killed late in the
day for feasting and on the next morning village Due to the efforts of worthy individuals,
elders including women spent the day drinking organizations and the State government, Chap-
beer while young boys and girls were busy making char Kut has now become the most popular and
preparations for singing and dancing. Old women colourful cultural festival of Mizoram. The day is
used to carry cooked food and boiled eggs to feed declared a gazetted holiday and is celebrated all
the passers by at the entrance of the village usually over Mizoram.(PIB Features)
under a banyan tree or near memorial stones.

““ The third day of Chapchar Kut festival is

also termed as Chai Ni (dancing day). Young men
and women dressed themselves in their best or-
naments-necklace of amber, earrings of ivory and
beautiful headband made of fine feathers. Boys
and girls sang and danced all through the night
forming circles in the chief’s yard.

““ The fourth day is called Zupui Ni (Zupui

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is a mild beer brewed with husks specially made

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for festive and special days) Zupui, contributed by
various families, was passed around the whole
day. Towards the evening, songs and dances got Bamboo Dance to celebrate Chapchar
underway again lasting till the next morning.

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Kut Festival in Mizoram
The fifth day was solemnized as Zu Thing

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Chaw Ni. On this day all the contributed and col-
lected Zu was to be finished. The sixth day used  
to be the day of siesta. Having fed themselves
joliprint

with meat and drinks to the brim they called it a

day of rest. Hunting or going out of the village was
considered a taboo.

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The longest Chapchar Kut celebration in

Mizo history was of the Chawngtui village. It went
on so long that the entire village forgot its culti-

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Feature

““ ““ A Mizo couple in festive mood during

Chapchar Kut festival

““““ *AIO, PIB, Aizwal

““
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Mizos celebrating Chapchar Kut festival

““  
joliprint
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