Number of words: 158

The custom of exposing the dead is widespread. Certain Kshatriya clans practiced it in ancient times; the Parsis mantain it to this day. It has been recorded from Melanesia and Madagascar. It exists only in a comparitively small area of north-east India. Dr. Hutton has drawn a distinction between the Western Nagas (the Angamis, Semas, Rengamas, Lhotas and Tangkhuls), all of whom bury their dead, and central Nagas, such expose them, Rich Aos, the Konyak tribes and the Khienmunganas, who expose them. Rich, Aos, for example until fairly recently, kept a corpse in the outer room of a house and lit a fire beneath it until it was smoke-dried. At the next Harvest festival it was laid on a platform erected beside a path outside the village. If this was not done, the relations were told that they had not given the dead man his due of loving attention.

Excerpted from”page number 248, of A philosophy for NEFA”