Every community carries within its sacred heritage a story of beginnings-a story that speaks not only of how the world came into existence but also of the relationship between humanity, nature, and the Divine. Among the Jaintia Niaw Wasa, the ancient tradition of creation is preserved as a sacred journey in which the Creator, the earth, and humanity are bound together through a divine covenant.
This story is not merely an account of the distant past. It continues to shape the spiritual understanding of the people, their relationship with the natural world, their reverence for ancestors, and their devotion to U Tre Kirot, the Supreme Creator.
At the centre of this sacred narrative stands U Syiem Lakriah, the chosen leader and mediator between the Creator and the Niaw Wasa, the Seven Huts. Through him, the voice of humanity reached the Divine, and through him, the blessings and instructions of U Tre Kirot were revealed to the people.
The Creation of the Three Realms
In the beginning, before the earth received life and before humanity walked upon it, there was only U Tre Kirot, the Almighty Creator. Through His divine power, He brought the universe into existence and established three sacred realms.
The highest realm was Soorkep, the eternal dwelling place of U Tre Kirot and the immortal spirits known as Ki Puri Blai. Beneath it was Bneiñ, the heavenly realm where the Ki Khadynru Wasa, the Sixteen Huts, lived in harmony. The lowest realm was Sla Khyndaw Pyrthai, the earth, which had been created but remained empty and without life.
The Creator desired that His chosen people, the Niaw Wasa, should descend from heaven and establish life upon the earth. To connect heaven and earth, He created the sacred golden ladder known as Ka Tangnoob Tangjri, through which the Niaw Wasa would descend.
Among them, U Tre Kirot chose U Syiem Lakriah as their leader. He was blessed with wisdom, patience, and spiritual understanding so that he could guide the people and communicate with the Creator. Whenever U Tre Kirot wished to speak with U Syiem Lakriah, He appeared in the form of a rainbow. The rainbow became a sacred sign of the bond between heaven and earth—a symbol of divine presence, peace, and hope.
The Earth Prepared for Humanity
When the Niaw Wasa first descended through Ka Tangnoob Tangjri, they found the earth barren and incomplete. There were only rocks, water, and air. There was no fertile soil upon which they could cultivate crops and no stable ground upon which they could build their homes.
The people became troubled and approached U Syiem Lakriah. They expressed that in such a condition they could neither establish their settlements nor sustain their lives.
As the mediator between humanity and the Creator, U Syiem Lakriah carried their concern before U Tre Kirot.
According to Jaintia oral tradition, this condition of the earth is remembered through the saying:
“Chna Yung i step pat i miet, chna yung i miet pat i step.”
It expresses the difficulty of building a home upon a land that lacked soil and stability. Whether built by day or by night, no house could stand firmly because the earth itself had not yet been prepared for human life.
Hearing the plea of His people, U Tre Kirot lovingly arranged creation. He called upon Ka Bei Rymaw, the Earth Mother, and instructed her to provide three basketsful of sacred soil known as Ka Le Khoh Le Sun. Through this gift, the barren earth became fertile.
Then U Tre Kirot called upon Ka Bei Wabooh, the Goddess of Fertility, to fill the forests, rivers, and skies with living beings. Birds, animals, and fish appeared, and the earth became a place where humanity could live in harmony with nature.
After preparing the world, U Tre Kirot gathered the people in a great Dorbar Blai, the Divine Council. There He gave them Ki Hukum, the sacred laws that would guide their lives. The sacred teachings given by U Tre Kirot became the foundation of Niamtre, the spiritual path of the Niaw Wasa. The word Niamtre itself carries the essence of this divine relationship. In the Jaintia understanding, Niam refers to the sacred order, command (Hukum), or law entrusted to humanity, while Tre refers to U Tre Kirot, the Supreme Creator from whom this order originates. Therefore, Niamtre literally signifies the divine law or sacred order of U Tre Kirot. It is not merely a religion in the institutional sense but a God-given way of life that directs people to live in harmony with the Creator's will, with fellow human beings, and with the natural world.
Niamtre therefore represents more than a system of religious practices; it expresses the living relationship between the Creator and creation. The laws, rituals, moral responsibilities, and ways of life followed by the Niaw Wasa are understood as arising from the divine instructions of U Tre Kirot. Through Niamtre, humanity learns how to live in harmony-with the Creator, with fellow human beings, with ancestors, and with the natural world.
In this understanding, the foundation of Niamtre was not created by human beings alone but was received as a sacred guidance from the Creator. The divine laws (Ki Hukum) given during the Dorbar Blai established the path through which the Niaw Wasa could maintain balance, righteousness, and harmony. Therefore, Niamtre embodies the covenant between U Tre Kirot and His people.
The Gift of Sacred Dance
After creation had been established, another Dorbar Blai was held. During this gathering, U Tre Kirot told the Niaw Wasa that His work of creation was complete and that they would no longer see Him face to face as before.
The people were filled with sorrow. They feared that the closeness they had shared with their Creator would be lost forever.
Seeing their sadness, U Tre Kirot comforted them. He promised U Syiem Lakriah:
“I shall return once every year and dwell among you for four days and three nights.”
Then He asked:
“What offering will you give Me when I return?”
U Syiem Lakriah remained silent, unsure what offering would be worthy of the Creator.
Then U Tre Kirot revealed His desire:
“I ask you to offer Me a dance. Dance upon mud, rock, or water. As your feet touch the earth, you shall feel the beating of your own hearts. Through this, you shall know that My presence remains among you.”
From that moment, dance became sacred. It was not merely entertainment or artistic expression. It became an offering of gratitude, a prayer expressed through the body, and a living reminder of the covenant between the Creator and humanity.
The footsteps of the dancers upon the earth became a sacred language through which the people remembered that they were never separated from U Tre Kirot.
The Coming of U Syiem Synriang and the Sacred Form of Dance
As time passed, U Syiem Lakriah grew old. The responsibility of guiding the Niaw Wasa had become great, and he prayed to U Tre Kirot for divine assistance. In response, the Creator sent His divine son, U Syiem Synriang, to continue the sacred responsibility of guiding the people.
Among the duties entrusted to U Syiem Synriang was the fulfilment of U Tre Kirot’s command that the Niaw Wasa should offer a dance pleasing to Him.
Therefore, a great Dorbar was convened. The people sought divine guidance through ka suit ka choor, the sacred ritual of libation through which communication was established with U Tre Kirot, the lesser divine beings, and the ancestors.
The first form presented was a couple dance known as Ka Chad Chijur, where a male and female dancer performed together. However, the signs revealed that this was not the form accepted by the Creator.
The reason is remembered in the sacred parable of Ka Krem Lamet Ka Krem Latang. In this story, the Sun and the Moon, known as Ki Khon Wakhro and Ki Khon Watri, descended to the earth and danced together. Their relationship as brother and sister represented a violation of sacred order, and as a consequence, the earth was covered in darkness.
A great Dorbar of all living beings was then called to find one who could negotiate with the Sun and restore light. The Elephant was first approached, but he declined, saying that although he possessed great physical strength, he lacked the wisdom needed for such a task. Other creatures, including the Horse and Tiger, also refused.
A bird known as U Ma Langchiang U Ma Langdoop accepted the responsibility but failed because of his unsuitable character. Finally, U Khon Lymboit Khon Lymbiang, the rooster, was chosen. Through his wisdom and sincerity, he succeeded in bringing back the light.
This sacred narrative, preserved within the Niamtre tradition and transmitted through generations during the cremation ritual known as Choh Syiar, teaches the importance of wisdom, moral responsibility, and harmony with the sacred order.
After further prayer and libation, the Creator revealed the accepted form of dance: Chad Chiphiah, later known as Lahoo Dance.
In Chad Chiphiah, a female dancer stands between two male dancers. The woman represents Ka Langdoh, the custodian of sacred responsibility, while the two male dancers represent the maternal uncle and father. The arrangement symbolises balance, kinship, continuity, and the harmony upon which society rests.
Behdeiñkhlam and Chad Chiphiah: The Living Memory of the Covenant
From the sacred command of U Tre Kirot emerged the enduring traditions of Behdeiñkhlam and Lahoo. These dances preserve the sacred remembrance of creation, the descent of the Niaw Wasa, and the covenant established between heaven and earth.
Behdeiñkhlam is performed during the monsoon season after sowing. It expresses prayers for protection, health, fertility, and the removal of sickness and misfortune. Through the festival, the people honour their ancestors, divine forces, and seek blessings for the land.
Lahoo expresses harmony and unity. Through the coordinated movement of the dancers, individuals become part of one collective body. The dance reminds the community that human life is sustained through relationships-with family, ancestors, nature, and the Creator.
Together, these sacred dances preserve the central teaching of the Jaintia Niaw Wasa creation story: that the relationship between humanity and the Divine must continue to be renewed.
The Eternal Footsteps of the Covenant
The story of creation does not end with the making of the earth. It continues whenever the people gather in devotion, whenever the drums sound, and whenever sacred footsteps touch the ground.
Through Behdeiñkhlam and Lahoo, the Niaw Wasa reaffirm the promise of U Tre Kirot-that His presence remains among His people.
The journey that began with U Syiem Lakriah and continued through U Syiem Synriang is therefore not only a story of the past. It is a living spiritual heritage, reminding humanity that creation is sustained through devotion, harmony, gratitude, and the sacred bond between the Creator and all living beings.
