ABSTRACT
With the approach of adolescence, the responsibilities of adult life loom gradually larger. The naming ceremony admits a boy or girl to the outer fringes of the tribe. It is kind of baptism which serves as a necessary prelude to fuller recognition. Similarly a girl must now be brought into closer union with the bongas. Until her confirmation she is eligible for bonga care but is debarred from assisting in the ceremonies. The ceremony that combines the various functions is known as Caco Chatiar and is usually performed when a child is eight to ten years old. The myth of Madho Singh reflects the horror with which Santals regard all sexual intercourse with persons not of the tribe. So enormous is this crime that in order to preserve their integrity the ancestors abandoned their villages and sought another country.
