Khasi Folklore

The Khasi Visual Art Tradition.

The hallmark that emerges from the knowledge to create is the original entity of the creator which is different from another person with the same or similar aptitude- known as Art. The hallmark or distinctive entity of a particular individual is called 'matti', 'mat' is the short syllable for 'khmat' meaning face or front and 'ti' is the short syllable for 'kti' meaning hand in Khasi. Knowledge or to know means 'tip' and create means 'thaw' in Khasi language; hence 'mattithaw' or 'mattipthaw' means an object created with knowledge and executed by hand that stimulate in front of the people is an experience, which denotes art in Khasi. It could be the literary writing skill, music and dance performing skill, painting and sculpturing skill or any such creative talent. Therefore, Art is the unique and exclusive style, character or identity of the work created by the writer, poet, artist and every innovative person. Art signifies the emotional expression depicted in the material product created by the artist. The whole world with all its components are the intangible or spiritual and tangible or material products of the Creator, God Almighty in Khasi terminology.

Khasi belief prohibited the act of creating images and such action by a person is termed as taboo, because it is considered as the sole prerogative of God, the Creator. Therefore, the images of ancestors, divine entities or anything that is revered in society or mankind is forbidden to make with artificial means. Any image making matter is perceived as a dummy of the original image; like the scarecrow to chase away birds and animals from the agricultural fields, and the mask which is used in fanfare for fun and amusement. This is the basic reason that during the funeral ceremony all the structures of certain forms are destroyed before the final rituals of cremation: even the hearse that is used to carry the corpse to the cremation pyre has to be destroyed before the body is incinerated. During the Behdeiñkhlam ceremony of the Pnar people in the Pnar or Jaintia region, all the colourful towering structures are dismantled and dumped into a ditch. Perhaps this customs is akin to other Asian cultures. On the one hand it is similar to the the Durga Puja festival of the Hindu custom where idols are immersed in the river and dissolved thereafter; and on the other hand during the Muharram of Islam, the tazias are immersed in the river after the religious procession. The only difference is that Hindus revere and worship the idols, while the Muslims do not hold any significance to the structures; and the Khasis do not give any regard to the structures, and it is forbidden to worship these structures.

 The monolith, ossuary and all other stone structures of the Khasis does not have any carving image on them. In weaving also, there are no images apart from simple pattern designs on the hem. Even bamboo crafts are without any design because the plaits are stressing more on the functional convenience of the article. Therefore, aesthetics among the Khasis are functional and utilitarian in nature. For that matter, there are no traces of visible folk art inherited from the ancestors. Khasis consider that life in the world is temporary and believed that God has provided with complete beauty in the surrounding environment, which might not be necessary for man to engage in the imitation process. Khasi philosophy revealed that the permanent abode is the home of God and that is why the mortal body may decompose but the soul will stay at the threshold to the abode of God, referring in Khasi as bam kwai ha dwar U Blei or literally eaten betel nut at the doorstep to the abode of God. Why eating betel nut? – Khasi custom consider sharing betel nut as the symbol of great honour to greet and welcome the guests, to celebrate a conversation of goodwill around the hearth. There is no other opportunity in life or after life to be ushered upon the abode of God with a piece of betel nut, to rejoice and discuss at the divine hearth. Why at the threshold? – Khasis regard to reach the doorstep to the abode of God is ultimate and still much more to eat betel nut and share a conversation inside the home of God. Therefore, the temporal life on earth is to abide by the commandments: to earn righteousness, to know  your kith and kin and to know man and know God. These three commandments are the founding principles of a complete human being to live on earth with peace and harmony.

According to the Khasi myth, Biskorom is revered as the chief deity for creativity and through his divine disciples known as the twelve masons or 'khatar kamar' and nine masons or 'khyndai kamar' engaged in the making and manufacturing of material structures for human utility. The entire process of the work is believed to have taken place at a place called Rangjyrteh and from there on, it is handed over to the people to sustain the tradition. Rangjyrteh is an ancient settlement with traces of an established iron industry. There are remnants of specific foundry demarcated from one another, with each foundry consisting of all the components for iron smelting like the kiln and the manger with fossilised iron ore  spreading all around the area. Therefore, Rangjyrteh located near Sohra (Cherrapunjee) is the ancient professional and occupational establishment of artists, architects, engineers, artisans including each and every skilled craftsperson. Perhaps, the chief deity for creativity Biskorom is the same Hindu God Viswakarma. Essentially, the Khasi folk technology for iron, bamboo and wooden tools and structures originated from Rangjyrteh.

In the present context, the contemporary art expression is emerging and prevailing to reveal Khasi thoughts. One artistic expression is the fixing of animal antlers at the top portion of the front door, the main entrance to the hut or the house. The popular trend is the deer antlers that related with the customary community hunting expedition. The traditional hunting expedition is being considered after chanting prayers to God seeking divine sanction. The foundation of the tradition is based on the myth about the Iew Luri Lura or literally, the chaotic market of all creatures on earth and Ka Ksaw Ka Kpong or literally the fortune of hunting expedition. The folktale narrated that all the animals ridicule Dom, the bitch for selling the stinking bean sauce at the market and ultimately trampled on the sauce only to leave the trace for the dogs to trail. That is why it is believed that only dogs or family canidae can track any animal’s trail. Since that incident, dogs stayed away from the jungle and were domesticated by human with a vow to serve and assist in tracking animals during the hunting expedition with divine sanctioned, while wolves stay in the jungle in packs. After the rigorous chase by dogs and hunters in the jungle any animal that fall prey into the arrow of a particular archer is destined to be carried around the village amidst rejoice and chanting of victory verses. It signifies the triumph of man over beast, good over evil because the victim might intrude into the human domain and perpetrated harm to people and the society. The antlers or the head of the hunted animal is regarded as the trophy in honour of the first shooter in which they usually fixed for display at their respective front door with pride and jubilation. These two tradition involved the ceremonies to appease the gods. The chaotic market reflected that all other creatures other than human being should not indulge in trade and commerce; and the aftermath of the Iew Luri Lura allowed the dog to revenge against all other animals for the humiliation he faced and at the same time became useful for man to tract the animals during the hunting expedition. The hunting expedition or Ka Ksaw Ka Kpong is the solemn ceremony to defend mankind from the atrocity perpetrated by wild animals. The ceremonies reflected the ancient wisdom of ecological balance and the folk saying goes, 'A cruel person will be devoured by wild animals and the ferocious animal is vulnerable to the divine action through human and the dogs. The head of the hunted animals is the symbol of achievement of man over animals as the supreme being among all creatures'.

Khasi custom forbid creation of images and considered a taboo, therefore the artistic urge is indicated through the expression at the façade and the top portion of the front entrance to the house. The other portion of the house is meant for convenience of utility and function for the inhabitants. The roof and the walls are meant to protect from wind and rain, the windows are meant to attract light and allow circulation of air, the staircase and the door to be able to access the house, and so on and so forth. However, the façade is a frame that is not required for any function for the inhabitants and this space is a prominent display area for the original artistic creativity of the owner or the builder. In the similar manner, the top frontal entrance is the ideal space for the exhibition of the symbol of victory and good fortune for the family.

The tradition of hanging the antler at the upper threshold of the ethnic hut is being followed with the same purpose at the modern house. The transition is accepted and evolved a new tradition, even in the sophisticated cemented buildings. Some artists portray elements of Khasi identity in their artworks in such spaces. After the introduction of the architecture known as Assam-type, the façade of the house became the display area for the builder or the house owner to create images of their personal choice. Eminent local architect, Aiban Shngaiñ Mawkhroh stated that the creative pursuit of the house owner or the builder is depicted prominently at the façade of every house in Khasi region. Further, he confirmed that the similar trend and pattern is repeating in the present cement concrete buildings.

Dr Desmond L Kharmawphlang of the Department of Creative & Cultural  Studies, NEHU expressed that image creation is found on weaving, rituals and some other daily chores and occasionally during festival and ceremony. However, all these images are not visible to the masses and could not penetrate into the society. As it appear in the present juncture, especially when compared with neighbouring ethnic races or even the whole world; there is a conjecture that the visual art tradition is either lost or it has never been in existence in the Khasi society.

Khasi thought considered talent as God gifted attribute, while the trick or craftsmanship is human skill and ability. Talent is pure, clean, sacred and divine; while trick and craftsmanship is a wise and calculative action, it is human and temporal. Art deriving out of gifted original talent can be distinguish from the art deriving out of innovative trick and craftsmanship. Talent is absolute intellectual element, while trick and craftsmanship involves elements of intellectual and application capability. Both are creative impulses motivated by the skill and ability to use the personal aptitude. These two terms creative talent and creative trick or craftsmanship are comparable with each other as being genuine against imitative, original against imaginative, productive against sterile, beneficial against futility, dynamic against static. However both attributes can grow and attain certain amount of quality and perfection through consistent usage and regular practice. Literature, Visual Arts and Performing Arts are the primary components of creative expression commonly called art, although it is more often referred to pictorial term. However the term art has been ascribed to various other skillful action, which are more of application rather than intellectual ability. Magic trick is termed as art, physical fighting skill is called martial art, oral debating skill is art, culinary skill is art; even certain negative attributes like fraud, treason, burglary are called art of deception, art of treachery, art of robbery etc. But we are broadly dealing in the area of fine arts only that is literary, visual and performing arts with emphasis on visual arts. Generally, watching the wonder of nature and the beauty of the surrounding environment to the extent of human visibility, God is perceived as the greatest and finest artist ever. Therefore, talented artists are the products of divine character in which human intellect could not fathom and the combination of that divine attribute with the human skill will produce excellent art. While the divine attribute is perpetual, the human skill may vary in proficiency from person to person. There is no harm for an artist to be careful about his personal creation and protect his intellectual property. However, it is a crime if the human intellect and skill is being abuse to harm others in order to benefit oneself. Therefore, the prevailing situation in the market driven society has created a trend that artists are compelled to safeguard their intellectual property and this is a universal truth that prevail the world over. If all artists and so called artists are truthful and honest there is no reason to protect and safeguard every personal intellectual property, because true art needs to be shared and experienced among the fraternity and in the society with all sincerity and magnanimity.