Keibu_Keioiba

Keibu Keioiba

Keibu Keioiba

Half man, half tiger of Meitei folklore

Keibu Keioiba, also known as Kabui Keioiba, is a mythical creature with the head of a tiger and the body of a human in the Meitei mythology and folklore of Manipur. According to legend, he was once a skilful priest named Kabui Salang Maiba. He used witchcraft to turn himself into a ferocious tiger. As punishment of his pride, he could not completely turn back to his original human form.[4][5][6][7][8]

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Story

Keibu Keioiba was human in the daytime and a tiger at night. During night, he prowled around looking for food. One night, he found an old woman's house and planned to devour her. The old woman said that her wrinkled skin would not be tasty and suggested that he eat a beautiful,young named Thabaton instead. Thabaton was the only sister in a family with seven brothers. The old woman told Keibu Keioiba that brothers had gone for a work and that Thabaton was alone. The old woman helps Keibu Keioiba to trick Thabaton into opening the door to her house succeeded to make Thabaton. Keibu Keioba kidnaps Thabaton.[9]

Shortly after this, Thabaton's brothers return home from work[10] and discover that Thabaton is missing. They ask the old woman about their sister, and she tells them about Keibu Keioiba. The seven brothers prepare their weapons and set out in search of their sister. Keibu Keioiba has not eaten Thabaton. Instead, he has forced Thabaton to become his wife, and they live together in the forest. The brothers never stop searching for their sister. One day, they see Thabaton. When they get close to her, they see that she is with a man and has a baby with her. The brothers discreetly signal to Thabaton so that she knows they have arrived. When Keibu Keioiba goes away for a hunt, Thabaton meet her brothers and they plan her escape.[9]: 76 

When Keibu Keioiba returnes, Thabaton gives him a hollow utong (bamboo pipe) open at both ends. She tells Keibu Keioiba to fetch some water from the stream with the utong. In Keibu Keioiba's absence, the brothers burn down Keibu Keioiba's house, kill the baby, and run away with their sister.[9]: 77  On the other hand, Keibu Keioiba could not collect water with the utong; when he tried, the water just leaked away. A crow, observing his activities from a treetop mocked his foolishness. Keibu Keioiba returns hometo find his son dead, his wife missing, and his house burnt to the ground. His anger knew no bounds. He charges back to the home of Thabaton and her brothers, who have prepared their weapons. As soon as Keibu Keioiba approaches them, they attack. Finally, Keibu Keioiba dies at the hands of the Thabaton's seven brothers. Thabaton and her seven brothers live happily ever after.[9]: 78 [10]: 59 

Film

In the 2009 Meitei language animated film Keibu Keioiba (Tiger Head), the character of Keibu-Kei-Oiba was uniquely designed to a humanoid tiger, which had to speak dialogues in human voices. The facial structure of the character was twisted out of the normal shape of a real tiger to a little bit extend. It was done so as to bring adjustment to the human voice and the speaking actions during digitalization. Artist Bhumenjoy faced great challenges in making the visual character of Keibu Kei-Oiba, as the character is about the combination of a human and a beast. Various faded colours were used by the drawing team to adapt to the story.[11]

Theatre

Yamata Amasung Keibu Keioiba (Yamata-no-Orochi and Keibu Keioiba) is a Meitei-language play that interweaves the stories of the two legendary creatures, Keibu Keioiba and Yamata-no-Orochi of Japanese mythology. The role of Keibu Keioiba was firstly played by Kshetrimayum Priyobrata and then secondly played by Pangambam Tyson Meitei.[12][13]

References

  1. [1]
    A Knock at the Door. Oryx Press. 1992. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-89774-733-2. ... it may remind you of the European tale "Beauty and the Beast
  2. [2]
    Beck, Brenda E. F.; Claus, Peter J.; Goswami, Praphulladatta; Handoo, Jawaharlal (1999). Folktales of India. University of Chicago Press. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-226-04083-7.
  3. [3]
    "Heisnam Tomba's Play: Yamata Amasung Keibu Keioiba". StageBuzz. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  4. [4]
    Regunathan, Sudhamahi (2005). Folk Tales of the North-East. Children's Book Trust. ISBN 978-81-7011-967-8. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  5. [5]
    Singh, Moirangthem Kirti (1993). Folk Culture of Manipur. Manas Publications. ISBN 978-81-7049-063-0. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  6. [6]
    Devy, G. N.; Davis, Geoffrey V.; Chakravarty, K. K. (12 August 2015). Knowing Differently: The Challenge of the Indigenous. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-32569-7. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  7. [7]
    Sangeet Natak. 1985.
  8. [8]
    Krasner, David (2008). Theatre in Theory 1900-2000: An Anthology. Wiley. ISBN 978-1-4051-4043-0. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  9. [9]
    B. Jayantakumar Sharma; Dr. Chirom Rajketan Singh (2014). Folktales of Manipur. pp. 74–75.
  10. [10]
    S Sanatombi (2014). মণিপুরী ফুংগাৱারী (in Manipuri). p. 57-58.
  11. [11]
    Nishikanta, Naorem. "Bhumenjoy Konsam on the Chemistry of Making Keibu-Kei-Oiba – Part II | Manipur Times". Archived from the original on 30 July 2019.
  12. [12]
    "YAMATA AMASUNG KEIBU KEIOIBA – 21st Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2020". Archived from the original on 22 April 2021.
  13. [13]
    "Heisnam Tomba's Play: Yamata Amasung Keibu Keioiba". StageBuzz. 16 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022.
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