|
|
|
|
||||||
The Nongkrem Dance Festival The Syiem priestess, or Queen, (center) with red silk umbrella, is revered at the Nongkrem dance festival, an annual event held to thank the gods and ward off evil disasters. The priestess, who is in fact the King's sister -- she took over as priestess after their mother's death -- is important because according to the matrilineal system of the Khasi tribespeople, her son will inherit the title of King. ALSO A Royal Tribe Under Threat: The ancient traditions of the Khasi tribespeople in India's northeast are being threatened by modernization and the government administration |
|||||||||
|
Back to the top |
© 2000 Time Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. |