What type of study is this?

This is a Observational study (also classified as: Literature Review).

August 20, 2025

Rituals of Passage and Persistence: Death and Cultural Identity Among the Mizos of Northeast India

Key Points

Mizo death rituals reflect a blend of indigenous beliefs and Christian practices, showing cultural adaptation.
The study finds that the Young Mizo Association plays a crucial role in standardizing funerals, which affects cultural identity.
Using ethnographic fieldwork, the research examines significant ritual structures, including thlaichhiah and grave typology.
Cultural resilience is highlighted through Mizo mortuary customs, which maintain continuity amid social change and theological shifts.

Abstract

The study explores the transformation of Mizo death rituals through the lens of syncretism, examining how indigenous cosmologies and Christian beliefs have merged into hybrid ceremonial practices. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and comparative anthropology, it investigates ritual structures such as thlaichhiah, grave typology, and beliefs in the afterlife. The Young Mizo Association’s institutional role illustrates the cultural mediation and standardization of funerals. Theoretical frameworks, including van Gennep’s rites of passage and Geertz’s cultural bricolage, contextualize the ritual adaptations. The study argues that Mizo mortuary customs reflect cultural resilience, embodying negotiated identity and continuity amidst theological transformation and social change.

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