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The following article appeared in NATURE, a Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science, on November 11, 1920. Thanks to University of Michigan for digitalising the book through Google books online.

The Lakher Head-hunters of Upper Burma (November 11, 1920).

At the opening meeting of the session of the Royal Anthropological Institute, held on Tuesday, October 26, Prof. F.G. Parsons, vice-president, in Pioneer Mission, read a paper on “Lakherland, the Home of the Head-hunters.”

The Lakherland lies on the border of Upper Burma, and is some twenty days’ march from civilization. The Lakhers, who are practically unknown to the civilised world, are of the Mongolian type, and chocolate-coloured. While the men wear a small loin-cloth only, save for a large blanket thrown round them in the colder evenings, the women wear more clothing, their garments consistiting of a piece of clothe for a skirt reaching down to the ankles, while a breast-jacket nearly covers the upper portion of the body. This jacket is open at the back in order that the heavy loads the women carry should not wear out the garment. The men allow their hair to grow long, but it is fastened in a large knot on the top of the head with long brass pins. A plume of horse-hair is entwined in the head-clothe to show that the wearer has taken a head. The children run about in a nude condition up to the age of ten or twelve years.

The Lakhers are skilled smiths, although their tools and appliances are of the simplest character. The forge consists of three slabs of stone, and the bellows are hollowed trunks of trees in which is fitted a plunger consisting of a circular disc fitted to a handle, feathers being attached to the rim of the disc to make the plunger practically airtight. Pottery is made by the women without a wheel. The clay, which is obtained from the white ant heaps, is moulded between a stone held inside the pot and a hammer with rope wound over the head.

An interesting feature in a dance described by Mr. Lorrain was that the ceremonial headdress of the chief for this occasion, which is handed down from father to son, was always worn by the chief’s daughter.

The dead are buried in graves immediately outside the dwelling-houses. The grave consists of a hole about 4 ft. square but the body is placed in a small, sloping trench or tunnel underground excavated from one side of this hole. The body is pushed into the tunnel feet first, the cavity then being closed with a stone. An ornamental wooden pole, with projections or ears which distinguish by their number the sex of the deceased, is erected over the grave.

Outside the village decorated memorial poles are erected. In the example described by Mr. Lorrain one of the poles bore the horsehair plume denoting that the deceased had taken heads and the tail-feather of a cock denoting that he had carried off another man’s wife while on another pole was the skull he had taken. A third small pole showed projecting points, each representing a slave he had carried off when making raids. The animals which had fallen to his spear in the chase were represented by stones round the foot of the poles. A large flat stone was possibly a sacrificial slab. On one side was placed a row of flat staves representing the deceased’s wives.

Great value is attached to the heads of animals taken in the chase and to the heads of human beings taken in tribal wars and raids, as the possession of such is believed to give the owner not only power over the victims in the “world to come,” but also ensures a permit into Paradise after the death of the one who has obtained a full set of heads. Sometimes the marriage price of a maiden consisted in part of a number of such heads of human beings, and this led to young men entering into raids upon their near or distant neighbours.

By religion the Lakhers are animists, but it more correct to say that they appeased rather these spirits, which are believed to be of all evil. A large tree in the centre of was held to be the abiding place of the spirit. At the foot of this tree was the sacrificial stone upon which cocks and pigs were sacrificed.

In the discussion which followed the paper Mr. Lorrain, in replying to certain queries raised by Col. Shakespeare stated further that there were well-marked social distinctions between the clans. The headship of the village could be held only by the members of about six clans. Next in grade to these were the aristocratic clans also about six in number, who could not hold the headship of the village. The lower classes comprised two grades, an upper of ten to fifteen clans and a lower of about thirty clans. Below these were the slaves. The headship of the village descended from the father to the youngest son of the chief legitimate wife; other sons became headmen of outlying villages. Mr. Lorrain had not found any regular institution of feasts similar to those held among the neighbouring Lushai, which, when given in a certain progression in the number and character of the victims bring the giver honour in this world and favour in the world to come. He had found, however, one instance of a house in which the door had a rounded instead of a square top. The exact significance of this he had not been able to ascertain beyond that it was a privilege connected in some way with a special sacrifice.
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Source: Google Books online

Notes:
1. Here Lakher refers to Mara, Lushai refers to Lusei-Mizo; Mr. Lorrain refers to Rev. Reginald Arthur Lorrain, the late Pioneer missionary to Mara/Lakher people.

2. Maraland/Lakherland mentioned here in 1920 was an independent country, the British annexed the land in 1924 and was made part of British India (covering today’s Burma/Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan).

The book info.:
Nature
By Nature Publishing Group
Published by Nature Publishing Group, 1921
Item notes: v.106 1920-1921 Sep-Feb
Original from the University of Michigan
Digitized Apr 6, 2006

NATURE, A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. Volume CVI

September, 1920, to February, 1921

“To the solid fround of Nature trusts the mind which builds for aye.” – Wordsworth.