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27. Tiger man (Sema-Naga Folktale

To most people the word “Tiger Man” would seem strange but to the people in Nagaland whenever the word would be mentioned, especially around old people the reply you would hear would be a simple and extended “ahh” with an expression that would seem as though they were reminiscing something from the past. The story about the Tiger Man has been passed down from generation to generation. And before any elder would start the story they would always say, “This is not fiction, nor imagination, nor a source of entertainment. This is a true story which is as real as your mobile phones and your computers”. Zunheboto, a district in Nagaland that is inhabited mostly by the Sema tribe, one among the major tribes of Nagaland, has many small villages. Within it was a small village hidden in between the mountains. There lived a farmer named Hutovi Ayemi who was an ordinary man but with an extraordinary soul, a soul that could transform into a tiger once he was asleep. As his sleep takes over, his tiger soul would travel to faraway lands exploring places that an ordinary farmer wouldn’t even dream of. And as his soul gets accustomed to the transformation, his body that is asleep would get up to eat, work on the farm, interact with friends and do whatever that is necessary needed for a man to do. His tiger soul could teleport himself to any place that he wished to go. He would often tell his friends about the places he’s explored and has been to as his friends were the only ones who knew about his transformation. Whenever he felt hungry in his tiger form, he would hunt animals like cows or goats from the village during night time and eat them just like a predator hunts and eats its prey. When his soul returned to his body and he woke up, there’d be a few strands of fur and dried blood smeared around his mouth and chin. One unlucky day the villagers decided to stay up to wait for the creature that was killing their cows. Unaware of their plans, Hutovi decided to go on about his usual hunting routine. As soon as he approached the cows, all the villagers came from their hiding places and they threw stones at him and chased him away with fire torches. Since he was badly injured, he couldn’t return to his body and had to stay in the forest for two days, and during that time his body at home was also bed ridden and sick. As he was resting in the forest, a hunter was passing by the forest and before Hutovi could even figure out what to do he was shot in the stomach and he lost his life. Now, even though his tiger form had passed away his human body was still alive but was unwell. As he was resting on his bed, he heard lots of commotion outside so he asked one of his friends to see what was happening. His friends came back with the news that the village was celebrating because one of the men from village had come back from his hunting trip and bought along with him a tiger that he had killed. As Hutovi heard the news, he knew immediately that the tiger was his soul. When he got to know that his tiger-soul had left the world, he told his friends that he was going to go to sleep- little did his friends knew that Hutovi meant to sleep eternally. On that particular evening as the villagers prepared for Hutovi’s funeral they decided to cut out the skin of the tiger and lay it on top of his coffin as a sign of respect and love. But the irony about the whole act was that they were sending off the same man in the dead Hutovi and the slain Tiger. Other than Hutovi’s friends none of the villagers knew about his alter-ego, so in their hearts, they were glad as they knew that their dearest friend who was now on the other side was contend and happy because even though he had passed away and was being buried, his body was one with his soul, a special soul that could transform into a tiger and run about in freedom. It is believed that back in those days, such supernatural powers were passed on from one family member to another; if one wanted to end it, they would take the egg that did not hatch even after the incubation period and eat it raw. Eventually as the British took over India and Christianity was spread across the country and in Nagaland too, tradition changed hands with modernity. The Naga people became strong believers of the Christian God and what was left behind was these folktales and beliefs. Nonetheless, these tales of the folk are still circulated among the new generation and they transport them back to the glories of those past replete with wonderful stories.

- Translated by Amghali Achumi I Year

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