The Second Day: Arrival of the External Agnates

On the second day, the individual moitr reach the sponsors’ village. Relationships of this kind exist between individual houses, and as a rule between different tribal groups. They also receive buffaloes later “in the name of the deceased person” (Pfeffer 1991, 78). The collective moitr, those who are part of relationships that link large groups over generations (73), arrive on the same day, bring stone slabs to the sub-line’s platform, and are welcomed in a conventional, loving manner. The tsorubai and panjabai arrive in the village only later in the afternoon and evening, place stones at the shared gotr munda, and dance there in front of the buffaloes, with loud shouting and in a warlike manner.

The haggling over the distribution of the buffaloes begins at night. Pfeffer stresses that the panjabai aim for a complete settlement of accounts. In other words, if the current sponsors give more than they have received in the past, the takers promise to reciprocate the corresponding number of buffaloes in the future. In the reverse case - when the givers have received a greater number in the past - “‘unsouled’” (Pfeffer 1991, 79) buffaloes are added to the “souled” ones in order to reach the required number. After the decisions have been made, a packet of rice is given to the selected takers for each buffalo, a sign of the transfer to those now responsible for the animals.