Intoxicants are few in Abujhmar.
Toddy palm (Borassus flabellifera) and mahua (Bassia -
latifolia) are not grown or not tapped in Abujhmar hills.
In some villages the juice extracted from date-palm(Phoenix
sylvestris)is consumed. The most common drink is the fermented
juice of sago-palm(Caryotaurens) which the Marias call
‘gorga’ or ‘sulphi’. When fresh
it is very refreshing and tastes very much like fresh
toddy. The peduncles of the sago-palm inflorescene are
cut off before flowering. Bamboo tubes are fastened below
the cut to catch the tap which is connected to a pot tied
to the tree. On festivals and other occasions they go
to nearby distilleris and enjoy the mahua liquor. Men,
young women, girls and boys drink and mothers give liquor
to their children except those only just-born. Every drinker,
in general drinking bouts, before drinking pour a drop
or two on the ground in the name of the departed. Drinking
‘landa’ is a taboo to the Abujhmarias.
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The relationship
between men and women among the Abujhmarias is fairly
well regulated. Considering the absence of restrictions
for free movement between the sexes on market days and
other ceremonial occasions, one tends to get an apparent
impression that this society is permissive. But it is
not the case. A hill Maria is very proud of his women.
He seriously resents any liberty being taken by any one
other than himself. There is a moral code regulating the
realtions of men and women. Premarital sexual realationship
is very rare. Any one who indulges in it is looked down
upon, even though he may not be severely punished. Before
marriage if a boy and girl had sexual relations marriage
is quickly arranged after a formal betrothal cermony.
If premarital realationship results in pregnancy there
can be no formal marriage. The girl goes and stays with
the man and the man cannot refuse her. Prepuberty marraige
never takes place. Extra martial realations are taboo.
Polygamy is allowed. Polyandry is unknown. Widow remarriage
is sanctioned. But widows with children are not seen marrying
again. Cross cousin marriages are very frequent and preferred.
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Clan
system serves as means of regulating marriages. A child
is born into the clan of its father and if a son, must
remain in that clan all its life; but if a daughter passes
on marriage to the clan to that of the second husband.
A son must not take a wife or a daughter a husband, from
the father�s clan or from any clan that is brother clan
or dādābāi to it; he or she must marry
in some other clan which is the clan to which the wife
belongs, i.e., māmā. Majority of the villages
are uniclan, i.e., the inhabitants of the particular village
belong to a perticular clan only. Therefore, village exogamy
becomes necessary. For example, the village Nendnar, which
was the field headquaters of the present writer during
his fieldwork, consists of people belonging to Usēn i
clan. The boys and girls of this clan cannot seek marriages
with the members of the same clan. They can marry with
the boys and girls of other clans like Gurul, Wae
Jowu and Pa avi.
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All
the women of the Abujhmaria society are immediately aware
of their pregnancy. The pregnant women continues to work
till the time of parturition. Birth usually takes place
in the house itself. Elderly women are called for assistance
during delivery. Mother herself cuts the navel cord. Custom
demands that the placenta is burried in ground and an
arrow is poked over the place till the remaining portion
of the navel cord dries up. After the birth of the child
the woman is usually confined for a period of eight days.
The mother searches the body of the new-born-baby for
the birth-marks of some ancestor as they believe that
the departed ancestors influence the fortunes of their
posterity. Even though no ceremony is observed for naming
the child, sometimes the father arranges a feast. The
parents give a name to the new-born either immediately
or at any time within one year of the birth of the child.
Usually the child is named after an ancestor but occasionally
the name of a tree, or an animal or the colour of the
child may be given.
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