Ritual Performance of Amaibi as an act of Cultural Expression: A Study of Lai Haraoba

Magical flight and medium possession are central experiences in Amaibis (shamanism). During Umang Lai Haraoba rituals, spirits take human form to interact with the world. Amaibis use traditional songs and dances to enact creation tales, creating a performance reality that is both inside and outside time. The paper explores these experiences through oral performances and ritual shamanic dance, focusing on body transformation during possession, where Amaibis lose and reconnect with aspects of their identity. The Laipung (temple) serves as a site for cultural education and artistic expression, transmitting traditions across generations.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Magical flight and medium possession are two crucial experiences in the realm of Amaibis (Shamanism). While the former speaks of imagined and visual experiences of events occurring in other realms, the latter speaks of embodied experiences of giving up one's identity and mental control to an otherworldly entity. During rituals of Lai tongba (shamanic possession) in Umang Lai Haraoba1, spirits take on human form so they can manifest and interact with the human world. Performing arts is seen as indispensable part of worship among the Meitei community. Amaibis are engaged in the interactional creation of what can be called a performance reality which simultaneously is and is not a state outside time. In any ethnic community’s ceremonial space, dances, music, and other performing arts are important means of expressing cultural tradition. In a similar vein, Manipur’s Umang lai haraoba has had immense significance and relevance throughout history. The Amaibis use traditional songs and dances to describe and act out the many creation tales as part of oral ceremonies at the Umang Lai Haraoba. In addition to expressing our culture, it emphasizes the significance of dance and music. The space of Laipung (temple) is used as a part of education and a cultural expression through the performance by the amaibis and is handed over from generation to generation till date. The paper attempts to explore these experiences as evidenced in oral performances and specific ritual shamanic dance practiced by the Amaibis. Ethnographically, it focuses on the performance and analysis of body transformation during the enactment of rituals in which Amaibis lose connection to and reconnect with various facets of their identities. It also delves into a performance of how the cosmos was created and how Amaibis express this ritual in the Laibung (temple space) by turning it into a site/centre for art expressions.