Dangma Kasuang - Session 03, 19 January 2024

Dangma Kasuang hails from Hanche village, only a few metres away from Byale village, where she has lived since her marriage. She had previously named a variety, Matchichuik, which is one of the rarer varieties and so, in this interview Mansi and Chintan are asking her about Matchichuik. She also describes another variety called Nilau. These two varieties were uncommon among the cultivators in Byale village. Dangma Kasuang shares that Matchichuik was sought because it has a good amount of sago and contains less fibre, making it easier to process. However, only one or two clusters of the variety may be cultivated or found in one’s grove. It is medium in height and has shorter and thinner leaflets. The sago is the same as other varieties, red-orange in colour. Similarly, she recalls a variety Nilau, which she was unsure about where to find but could be searched while walking through the groves. Nilau also had shorter leaves. Krii-amui, or the Sun goddess, had given the Palm and all its varieties to the Puroik people at the time of partitioning of foods in the beginning. Krii-amui had also given Mithun, and instruments called Gaygong, Belek and Rairyu, some of which were taken by the Tiger. She goes on to clarify that the growing environment of these two varieties and age of maturation is not much different from the most common variety, Matchisik, and by extension true for all other varieties. These Palms are maintained at the household level and also a family may eat sago by processing one of their own Palms. Time-stamped section headings (00:01:08) Background of the speaker (00:02:12) Description of the variety Matchichuik. (00:09:44) Discussion about the origin of the variety Matchichuik. (00:15:54) Description of the variety Nialu. (00:21:22) Discussion about the origin of the variety Nilau. (00:27:07) Growing environment of the two varieties and norms around sago-making in the past.