The underlying theory of mortuary death is informed by the vocation of tarok people which is farming. Traditionally, mourning under tarok customs last for a period of three days:
Day one is nli awap which is burrial. On this day the remains of the deceased is committed to mother under traditional procedure supervise by onimgbak council of elders. Immediately after interment, one of the elders will blow a traditional whistle known as pur izur. This act ushers in the warfare funeral ceremony by adult males referred to as nga nga. Igangan nga special drum will be beaten to kick start the ceremony which is accompanied by ngapak, a bantoid warfare whistle.
After the first round of the ceremony, the onimgbak retires to ayi (elders shade) to exchange condolence with the maternal relations.
It should be noted that at this point the council of elders has judicial powers to determine questions of circumstances of death, notice of death to maternal relations and any un resolve rites of maternal uncles over the deceased. If the deceased was an unransomed male known as nkam ishi then the maternal uncles will occupy his estate and relocate mourning to their home. Usually, the elders will intervene in question of relocating mourning but occupying estate will hold. And in this case the remaining ceremony for the day including kam urim which is valedictory session.
While this going the women on the other side will assemble in a mourning ceremony known as shipyang, eulogy of either positive or negative deeds of the deceased. They form a circle and move into the centre one after the other. Each woman commence her own with tracing her roots and connecting same with deceased. Employing hyperbole she either praise or castigate the deceased. This traditional satire is a social control mechanism which has serious implication on moral development of proper behavior among tarok. If the deceased is castigated the family bears the embarrassment.
Therefore to determine the conduct of the deceased the proper social barometer is nshi ipyang.
After the exchange of condolences, the second round of nga resumes with the maternal relations taking a lead. Thereafter, women are demobilized from the compound of the deceased to pave way for a valedatory session known as nkam urim. Here it is only initiated males are allowed and sometime matured women at menopause age can be accommodated in the compound.
In a commandor like manner the male squad occupied the compound and take control of the deceased bed room and what take place there can only be narrated by men to men. After short while the squad dis engaged advanced to the women zone, move around them in a circular manner and returned to ayi onimgbak for the day.
Men will now sit down to be entertained with drinks available. These were usually nmung and nche but currently food, soft drinks, beer etc depending on the economic back ground of the deceased. This is a borrowed culture and not tarok.
Day two is known as yin iku meaning a day of mourning. On this day basically nothing new is introduce except that mourners gather under different shades to mourn the departed person. For the women, nshi pyang continues with a larger participation. They come along with abong mung iku for entertaining strangers who came from far.
Day three is called iku wur atak or iku pkang ishi meaning the final mourning rite. Here is usually the family member will gather in the compound of the deceased to decide on the future of the deceased family which includes stock taking of assets and liabilities. The eldest family member give directives on the management of the estate. Also, counselling of the family alongside consolation. Even future day for family meeting can be decided depending on the nature of issues on ground.
The above three days mourning does not apply to iku inak. Mortuary death is a one day affair with all the three days processes summarised into two days. The day of burrial is usually accompanied with a brief ceremony and defering mourning to a fixed date. On that day the activities will be as discussed for the second day above. At the end of the day mourning is concluded.
Tarok culture ascribe much respect to departure of members of a society. Mourning was total without any other activity except mourning. Infact on a day of communal work known as accippir or ram kpang and sudden there was death it cannot go on and all food and drink meant for it will be taken to the house of mourning.
That was tarok but there are social distortions of the entire concept with exogamous cultures over shadowing the tarok mourning rites. Also economic of the privilege few has created a diluted mourning traditions which promotes self pride with show off against communal spirit of grief moment. Death is considered a community misfortune that is collectively attended to with the given tarok traditions. Mourning in tarok now is a scaring project of showing who the deceased family are, from expensive casket, modern tiles grave, uniforms, sumpcious meals, expensive ambulances.
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