Haokholal Kipgen: Good Death, Bad Death, and the Mortuary Customs of the Kukis of Manipur, 139–145

Abstract

Death is the cessation of vital bodily functions in an organism. The precise definition of death and the exact time of transition from life to death is different according to culture, religion, and beliefs. To the Kukis, thi means death and Mithi means dead person and it is the permanent separation of the physical body and the soul. Based on the nature and cause of death, the Kukis distinguish between Thipha (Good Death) and Thise (Bad Death). While a Thipha entails an honourable burial to a person with full funeral rites, a Thise forfeits any honourable burial. The Kukis believe in an afterlife and in an impending judgement according to one’s merit and action. These beliefs influence their life and necessitate elaborate funeral rituals and death rites. This article throws light on the mortuary practices and the various rituals associated with the disposal of the dead among the Kukis. Using colonial anthropological records, native historians and conversations with experts within the community, the article argues that the whole funeral rites are inspired by two themes; one aimed at improving the deceased’s spiritual conditions and the other aimed at protecting the survivors from harm contingent on death.

[India, Death, Bad Death, Good Death, funeral rites, Mithikho, Kuki, Thempu]