Title: Inked Memories: The Short Story of Otsula Imtilang’s Traditional Tattoo

Language: Sumi

Description: Inked Memories: The Short Story of Otsula Imtilang’s Traditional Tattoo

In earlier times, tattooing among the Ao community was done exclusively by women. The following is a tattooing experience narrated by one of our grandmother, who is still alive today:

In those days, tattooing was done only by non-believers; believers were not tattooed. We went to Geleki, carrying chilies to barter for salt. Knowing our intention to become church members, our parents secretly took us to Geleki to be tattooed by Assamese women before we were converted. The Assamese women collected burned ashes from oil lamps, smeared them on our feet, and gently hammered them in with needles.

It felt like a small ant bite. The process lasted the entire day, and in the evening, they applied oil all over.Then, I felt inflammation in my feet, like burning in a heap of wood fire. Afterward, they washed my feet and left them for the night. By the next morning, my feet were healed without any pain. All my friends were fine and walked normally.

But for me, it was different. As if God knew my intention, my feet swelled as big as a post. So, all the workers of Merangkong village assembled and carried me to the village in a bamboo basket.

My mother met me along the way at Mesüit Creek and offered me rice beer that she had brought in a jar, but I refused to show any discontent over the tattooing. After reaching the village, all my friends, including Miss Rendila and my elder sister Miss Merensangla, were roaming freely, but my limbs were still swollen. I had a friend named Miss Pangerchila. She told me that she would not help me because I had been tattooed despite my promise not to be.

Even though she initially refused to help me, she eventually took care of me for a week, and after that, I was cured. That’s the story of my tattooed journey during my childhood days.

Format & Duration: Video: 3mins,16secs
Date of Recording: 8/19/2024
Date of Upload: 20 January 2025
Performer: Imtilangla Imsong
Creator: Imtiyangla Yaden
Publisher: Tetso College, Dimapur
Note: NA

 Imtiyangla Yaden    . 2025  . Inked Memories: The Short Story of Otsula Imtilang's Traditional Tattoo .   (Narrated by Imtilangla Imsong  )  . NEIIPA, Tetso College  . (https://neiipa.in/audio/inked-memories-the-short-story-of-otsula-imtilangs-traditional-tattoo/)  . Accessed: (12-Feb-2025)

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