Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-22
NICOBARESE FUNERAL RITES.

How They Honor Their Dead-Their Prefer.
ence For Odd Numbers.
The mortuary customs in the Central and
Southern Nicobar Islands, says the Calcutts
Statesman, differ largely from those OBJ
served BY the tribes inhabiting the northern
portion of the Archipelago; all alike appear
to indulge in demonstrations Of grief which
amount to frenzied extravaganza, and which
are induced in the majority of the mourners
less by real sorrow than by the dread enter.
tanned OF the disembodied spirit, who is
credited with peculiar activity and malevo.
lence Immediately after its release.
1t is incumbent on all friends and rela-
tives to repair as speedily as possible to the
hut where death has taken place, and
those who fail to bring with them the Gus
tomary offerings of white or colored calico
must make valid excuse to the chief
mourner, who would otherwise regard the
omission as slight to be remembered and
rendered in kind at the earliest opportunity.
These offerings, which vary from few
yards to an entire piece of calico, are, as
soon as presented, torn into lengths of about
two yards and utilized for shrouding the
corpse; they must be of new material, and
may be OF red, white, blue, striped OF
checked, but never of black calico.
In all their funeral appointments the
Nicobarese have, it appears, an unexplained
preference for uneven numbers; the body
must be washed once, thrice. or five times.
1t is laid on a bed of the calico in lengths,
30 being used for a headman and 20 or any
less uneven number for persons OF minor
Importance. Under the calico are placed 8,
or areca spaths, and these again are kept
in position by 5. or swaths or bands OF
calico. Curious V-shaped pegs to the num-
Der of seven or nine are used to secure the
body in the grave, in order to prevent its
abstraction by a class of evil spirits whose
energies are supposed to be devoted to this
end:
A practice analogous to that of barring
the ghost by fire prevails also in these
islands. and pyre is ignited with fire sticks
which are only used on these occasions
at the foot of the hut for the two-told pur-
pose of keeping the disembodied spirit at a
distance and apprising friends approaching
or passing in a canoe of the sad event.
Mourners are required to abstain from food
from the time OF the death until after the
described cleansing of the dwelling and per-
sonal ablutions and lustration by the men,
luana or priest medicine man on the follow
ing day; guilds of betel and sips of almost
boiling water are the only refreshment per-
mitted during the interval.
There are cemeteries attached to every
village, in which each family owns a Ger
tain area. The natives of the inland and
coasts tribes in the southern group leave
the dead undisturbed; but at Car Nicobar,
Choura, Teresa, and Bompaka ossuaries
are found, whittier after successive e1huma-
tions, the remains are deposited. At Car
0hor 6,,fe 6a,,% l.
for the reception of the dead prior to their
interment. Certain sacrifcial acts are also
performed at the grave, and on the succeed
ing days, which are of interest," and through
out the group the memory of the dead is
kept alive and their names propit1ated by
frequent feasts, which are celebrated in
their honor at intervals during the mourn
ing period, which extends sometimes over
two or three years.