ABORS AND GALONGS. 9 



Direct evidence as to the origin of the Abors and the tribes related to them, is 



not forthcoming. Family tradition, as handed down from father to son, has been 



_ ,... , _. . . found only in most exceptional cases to go back more 



Traditional Origin. j r o 



than about 200 years. The miriis (medicine men) practically 

 confine their lore to religious rites and to the preservation of tribal mythology. In 

 two of the myths that have been collected a flickering and uncertain light is thrown 

 on an environment very different to present Abor conditions. The first of these tells 

 how the gods, when the earth was parched and dry, with never a spring or a river to 

 refresh it, gave water to a thirsty world. Such a legend could hardly have originated 

 in a land echoing with streams in countless valleys, and where a dearth of water, 

 save on the highest peaks and ridges, is quite unknown. The second legend told by 

 a people who, within the narrow bounds of our historical knowledge, have lived in the 

 heart of lofty mountains and deep-cut valleys, describes how gods and men fought 

 for the possession of the pleasant fruitful plains, how man by a trick deceived the 

 immortals and remained lord of the rich level country, whilst the baffled deities retired 

 to the uplands. 



The following tradition learnt in Rotung from one whom the Abors themselves 

 regard as an authority on folklore and ancient history, throws a little light on the 

 origin of the tribes. 



Abors, Galongs and Mishmis all came from the stone of creation in Janbo country 

 on the Siring, and settled down together between the Sigon and the Siyom. But, as 

 my informant expressed it, " suddenly the Minyongs drew their daos and frightened 

 '■' the Mili to the Mishmi country and the Mikon to the Galong country." In those 

 days Mishmis, called Midi by the Abors of to-day. were called Mili, and the Galongs 

 Mikon. The Padam are said to have been called originally Lei in their own dialect 

 and Lerju by the Mkiyongs. 



I have gathered , but I am not altogether satisfied, that the Galongs intermarry with 



their maternal, and not with their paternal relations. As 

 regards Abor septs and their affinity I have corroborative 

 evidence that the Minyongs are divided into two groups Kuri and Kumuing, descen- 

 dants of two brothers, so named. These are again subdivided into septs. Tusik 

 Gam of Riga told me that the Kuri septs in Riga are Tapak, Jamo, Morang, Tali, 

 Tamat, Gao and the less considerable Tasing ; whilst the Kumuing are represented 

 by the Muije (Tusik's own sept), Lomtung, Jerang, Tatak, Talom, Tagbo, and the 

 less considerable Muibang, Jeli and Jeku. Madutold me that in his village (Riu) the 

 Kuri septs are Buite, Buime, Buidor, Taki, Tangu, Tapak, Jamo, Siram, Gao and 

 Ering: the Kumuing septs are Talode, Kirtong, Kiriba, Kanyi, Kakong, Tanyi, 

 Talom, Muktum, Mugri and Mukshum. The septs of the Kuri and Kumuing subdivi- 

 sions of Minyongs intermarry, but the septs themselves are exogamous. That is to say 

 a Talom man and a Talom girl are forbidden to marry. This is the recognized marriage 

 law throughout these hills, and governs the Galong custom as I have noted. 

 The Dobang septs are listed on p. 85. One of my informants, who is an excep- 

 tionally evil character, but is credited with a profound knowledge of folklore, told 



