kongthong-whistling-village-of-meghalaya

There is a beautiful place in the eastern part of India which is unique for its culture. Kongthong, a quaint village less heard of, lies in Meghalaya and has a one-of-a-kind way of calling the members of its community – by whistling. The village of Kongthong offers interesting trek routes around and while here, you can also indulge in fishing angling and camping. So, if you are tired of visiting the same old places and wish to travel to those unexplored locations of India, head to Kongthong and get awestruck by the beauty and unique culture of this quaint little village.

Every child is identified by a unique lullaby

In the serene village of Kongthong, while a baby is in its mother’s womb, the mother hums a lullaby on a regular basis and continues to do so when the baby is born. Being surrounded by the lullaby on a regular basis, the baby gets accustomed to it and begins to identify with it. This lullaby, known as ‘Jingrwei Lawbei’ soon becomes a unique identity for that child and is used to call her/him. Therefore, instead of a name, every kid grows up with a lullaby as his identity or as you may call it, his name.

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The Whistling Village Kongthong
A villager whistles as he calls a friend in a field in Kongthong village, in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya. Biju Boro / AFP

Every lullaby is different from the other and might be sound of bird-calls

The lullaby is unique to each and every individual and is never repeated. It may have some parts of similarity with other lullabies, however, differs as a whole. The full lullaby may even last for half a minute and is often used to call out a person in the jungle. The shorter version of the lullaby becomes the name and may last for around 5-6 seconds and may also be inspired by a Bollywood song! However, mostly the tunes of lullabies are sound bird-calls.

india tradition language music
Pyndaplin Shabong, 31, with her daughter at her house in the village. Biju Boro / AFP

The village has a population of around 700 which engages in honey production

The tradition of whistling to call out for people has been going on for generations in this village inhabiting around 700 people living in tiny huts surrounded by betel nut trees. The village’s main source of income is its honey production which is owned by the state and is recognised nationally ad internationally. The villagers of this picturesque countryside make their living by cultivating the land and hunting in the nearby forests.

People of kongthong- The Whistling Village
South Asia Views

Even warnings to each other are given through whistles

Whenever a mother has to call out a child, she would whistle that child’s ‘Jingrwei Lawbei’ and not the official name. This tradition proves to be a real weapon during hunting expeditions or if being attacked, as instead of calling each other’s names, the villagers only blow out whistles to call out/ warn each other of an impending danger.

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The unique whistle or lullaby dies with the person to whom it belongs

The whistling tune of a person does not live forever and dies with that person. After the person’s death, the tune is not given to any other baby which is to be born.

The origin of this whistling tradition dates to the times when the villagers believed that there were unseen spirits in the surrounding forests, many generations ago. They believed that if those spirits heard anyone’s name being called out, bad omen will befall that person and s/he would fall ill. Therefore, the lullaby was created as a way to protect everyone from spirits around.

Kongthong, the whistling village of Meghalaya
Biju Boro / AFP

Girls choose their husbands based on the tune of their whistle

This tradition has another crucial importance in the lives of the villagers as it forms the basis of relationships when the children grow up to become adults. As per the culture followed in this village, there is a marriage ritual held every summer during full moon nights. During this ritual, the prospective grooms whistle their respective tunes that are specific to them. The bride picks the one that man whose whistling tune she likes the most in order to get married.

Kongthong village
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Whistling sound travels farther in mountains than proper words

In fact, the tradition of whistling to call out people goes a long way in ensuring that the callers are heard. The sounds of names often get fizzled out in mountainous regions or forested areas or are often echoed and get muzzled. However, whistles are sharper and longer than the words an therefore, are heard more easily.

India's singing village
This photo taken on July 12, 2018 shows Phlimsibon Khogjee, 45, on her way to work in a field outside Kongthong village, in East Khasi Hills district in India’s eastern Meghalaya state. (Photo: AFP) South Asia Views

Tourists can visit this village to experience and learn whistling

In the recent times, owing to its uniqueness, the tourism department set up a homestay facility in this village to boost its tourism. The homestay is known as the ‘Traveller’s Nest’ and is located around 56 kms from Shillong City.

Kongthong village Every Child Has A Unique Lullaby Name
Oinam Doren shooting his film in Kongthong village. Oinam Doren

However, very few of us know that there is one more village where such a tradition has lived on for generations. This mountainous village is located on Turkey’s Black Sea coast and the people of the community here call out for each other using whistled and ear-splitting.

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