The universe is divided into three realms, SICHII (the realm of human beings), NYIDO (the realm of gods), and UYU or ARAM NYOKU (the realm of spirits or life after death). Numerous spirits own the land, forest, river, household, etc. and such spirits are benevolent and malevolent. Human life can be peaceful and prosper only when there is harmony among the three realms. The disturbance among them brings famine, disease, natural calamities, war, etc. that destroys life. Thus, the Nyishi worships to please the benevolent spirit for blessing and keeping malevolent spirits away.

 

Abo Tanyi had a child with DONYI YAI CHUMJI (daughter of AYU DONYI). His wife asked Abo Tanyi to bring her younger sister DONYI LUDI-LURO for babysitting from his parent’s house, DONYI NEG-NAMLO, the abode of Sun. There were two routes, one was the HACHI SEKHO. This path passes through the land of poverty, misery, and sorrow, and the god of poverty, YOMA TADA lives here and the other path is HAAT SEKHO, which passes through the land of happiness, where the benevolent gods and goddesses dwell. DONYI YAI CHUMJI specifically instructed ABO TANYI to take the HAAT SEKHO but he went to the HACHI SEKHO and befriended YOMA TADA. This friendship led ABO TANYI to exchange all his valuable dresses, goods, and ornaments with YOMA TADA’s roughed and cheap dresses made of wood and bamboo.

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Upon realization of his mistake, ashamed of himself he could not go to DONYI NEG NAMLO and came back home in a pathetic condition. This made DONYI YAI CHUMJI very sad and angry. She told ABO TANI that she is tired of his ignorance and that she no longer could be his wife. She left him with their baby and went to her parent’s house, DONYI NEG NAMLO.

 

After losing everything including his wife and child, he was alone and frustrated, he threatened to destroy the universe which shook the whole of the universe. All spirits were in panic as their existence was in threat. At last, the god of creation, HIB GYOB-BO, cooled down ABO TANYI and advised him to marry JIIT ANE or JIKUM ANE. She was the most beautiful one in the universe and nobody had ever succeeded in convincing her to marriage. HIB GYOB-BO helped ABO TANYI with a trick and impregnated JIIT ANE without any physical contact. JIIT ANE was surprised when she realized she was pregnant. A male child was born and every being including the spirits (UYU) started claiming the child. JIIT ANE then held a special competition, which was prepared with rituals and prayers so that only the actual father could win the competition. There were several events like arrow shooting, climbing oiled rocks, etc. In every event, all participants (in thousands) were unable to even come closer to winning but ABO TANYI, despite being very poorly dressed and with visible poverty, won every event with great ease. This made the UYUS very angry and JIIT ANE herself could not believe this. Then, it was settled on that the baby would choose his father. The baby then started crawling, everyone called the baby trying to please him but the baby went to a far corner and climbed on the lap of ABO TANI. Finally, this made JIIT ANE accept ABO TANI as the father of the child and made him her husband.

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This increased the already existing enmity between ABO TANYI and the malevolent spirits (UYU). They always kept plotting against ABO TANI to kill him and his son. As JIIT ANE was aware of it, she went ABO TANYI and the son down to the Earth to make a place for the human race. She provided him with containers called POBUM (UDUNG) which contained the souls of Mithuns, goats, pigs, etc. that were necessary to live a prosperous life on earth, and instructed him to open containers only after reaching the destination. On the path, ABO TANYI got curious and tempted by spirits on the way, he opened a little and peeped into the container. The souls of the animals cried out loud and the malevolent spirits followed ABO TANYI to the Earth. JIIT ANE was angry with the repeating blunders of ABO TANI but she realized that ABO TANYI is doing everything to maintain the good relationship between spirits and human beings. She ministered a decree between ABO TANYI and UYUS (malevolent spirits).

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tenin dedbo he pomin yullo no rui puram delaka,

pote yullo no seb puram delaka,

tirii aat nyok uyu no bintu puram delaka,

punu aat no teb puram belaka,

sotu-tam no kipu puram delaka

 

That the malevolent spirits who are thirsting for ABO TANI’s life shall quench their thirst with the life of Mithuns, pigs, goats, chickens, etc. This ensured the survival of the human race on Earth. Therefore, since time immemorial, the Nyishi always sacrificed domestic animals to please the angry hungered malevolent spirits. The sacrifice of animals is also performed in times of natural calamities to please the spirit causing the calamities such that the spirit ceases the disaster. This sacrifice is led by the NYUBH (priest) who makes deals with the malevolent spirits on the requirements of sacrifices needed to please the spirit (UYU). These sacrifices are also performed to please the benevolent spirits to gain blessing and protection against malevolent spirits.