ABSTRACT
In the predominantly Christian state of Mizoram in Northeast India, ‘singing together’ in a form known as zaikhâwm extends beyond the congregational singing of hymns in church to other contexts, such as the gathering of a community in a local family home, especially at times of death and bereavement. It is in these domestic gatherings that the real and imagined boundaries and identity of the veng (locality or neighborhood) are temporarily performed through musical practice. Taking into account Mizo commentary on the subject, this chapter examines the way in which zaikhâwm involves the performance of locality through the instrumentation, the choice of songs, and other contextual features that contribute to the musicking event. In particular it acknowledges the theological implications that are significant to Mizo Christians.
