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The Mizo society has witnessed a clear shift in the social life from pre-Christian era to present time. The conversion into Christianity has brought a lot of changes in the life style of the Mizo society, but the practices and beliefs have been retained over the years. Before the society was introduced to Christianity the religious practice was based on the idea of Tlawmngaihna, which literally means being hospitable, unselfish, and cooperative. This stood to be the moral force guiding the Mizo’s religious life. The arrival of Christian missionaries and foundation of churches introduced the newly found belief in Mizo society and the Christian thought and philosophy dominates the ritual practices of the date. Mizo’s is an agrarian society with no hierarchical class distinction in social status and participation in the community life. Birth of a child, marriage in the village and death of a person in the village are important occasions in which the whole village participates without any discrimination. The village chief consults all elderly people in important policy making and the decisions are democratic in nature.
Mizos adopt a new mode of life by giving up their old customs, which is greatly influenced by the western culture. Many of their present customs are mixtures of their old tradition and western pattern of life. The Indigenous clothing of the Mizos is known as puan. Certain patterns and designs of weaving have survived through the ages. These designs deeply rooted in their tribal consciousness are the part of the Mizo heritage. The unique value of Mizo puan comes from the personal involvement of the weaver, who with great labour weaves her dreams into each work. Some of the common clothing or puan are given below.
Puanchei: It is the most colourful costume used by every Mizo lady.
Kawrchei: A distinctive blouse of the ladies
Ngotekherh: This traditional puan is worn round the waist originally it was a men's puan but now it is worn by men and women without any distinction.
Hmar am: Originally this was a small hand woven cloth of handspun cotton and indigo dye.
Cyhna Hno: It is a beautiful embroidered silk puan of the Maras. It is used both by men and women.
Mizos practice ‘Jhum Cultivation’. They slash down the jungle, burn the trunks and leaves and cultivate the land. All their other activities revolve around the jhum operations and their festivals are all connected with such agriculture practices.
Mim Kut: This takes place in August-September in the wake of harvesting of the maize crop. It is celebrated with great gaiety and merriment expressed through singing, dancing, feasting and drinking home made rice beer, Zu. This festival is dedicated to the dead relatives of Mizos, and year’s first harvest is placed as an offering on a raised platform, built in memory of the dead.
Pawl Kut: This is also a harvest festival celebrated in December and January. Community feasts mark this and dances are performed. Mothers with their children sit on memorial platform and feed one another. This custom, which is also performed during Chapchar Kut, is known as 'Chawnghnawt'. Drinking of Zu is also part of the festival. This is followed by a day of complete rest on which no one goes out to work.
Chapchar Kut: Of all the Kuts of the Mizo, Chapchar Kut has emerged as the most popular and enjoyable one. This festival has a number of legendary stories, which are humorous at times. This is one of the most popular and widely celebrated kuts. The story behind this celebration goes like this: Once a group of young people returned from their hunting empty handed. In order to cover their embarrassment, the village chief organized a grand feast and the whole village offered its individual share and celebrated it with great enthusiasm. Since then this is celebrated as to mark the fun loving spirit of Mizo society. The Chief, in consultation with his elders, usually announces the day for Chapchar Kut well in advance. A few days before the fixed day for the Kut, fathers and young men would go out for hunting with a view to fetch meat for the festival. Hunting includes trapping, fishing and hunting with firearms. The second day of Kut is called Zupui Ni, a day of drinking beer and dancing. Zulawm, contributed beer-collected by the young men was served while young people in their colourful traditional costumes danced the Chai in the village square. Though the form of the festival has changed, the spirit of celebrating it remains the same.
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