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Paper short abstract

This paper examines the 'Jingrwai Lawbei' as an indigenous practice that links sound, nature, and identity. By analyzing this melodic naming tradition of the people in Kongthong, the study highlights how the practice sustains cultural memory and perpetuates the ethos of an indigenous way of life.

Paper long abstract

Kongthong, a remote Khasi village in Meghalaya, Northeast India, is renowned for its distinctive tradition of melodic naming known as 'Jingrwai Lawbei'. In this practice, every individual possesses two names—one conventional and another expressed through a unique tune, often whistled. Each person’s tune has both a shorter form, used within households, and a longer form, used in the wider community and beyond. Historically, these melodic names served practical purposes, enabling villagers to communicate while hunting in dense forests and believed to protect them from malevolent spirits unable to distinguish between human calls and natural sounds.

This paper explores the cultural significance of 'Jingrwai Lawbei' as a living folk practice that embodies indigenous values, worldviews, and ecological sensibilities. It highlights how this unique system of naming sustains community identity, fosters a sense of belonging, and perpetuates cultural memory across generations. By situating Kongthong’s melodic naming tradition within broader discourses on folklore, oral traditions, and intangible cultural heritage, the study underscores the deep interconnections between nature, sound, and indigenous ways of life.