Believe : The holy thing in the house

The Lisu people usually have an ancestral altar in their homes where they will pay respect and pray to their ancestors. The ancestral altar is usually located near to the entrance of their homes. Some household do not have any altar because their houses are near to their parents’ home and the ancestral altar is in their parents’ home. Another reason may be due to the change of religion from animism to Christian. Some families, on the other hand, may have more than one altar. The ancestral altar is usually a very holy element in the house. The altar usually has teacups which will be serves as a drink to the ancestor spirits. Each teacup has a name and it represents each of the ancestors who had passed away.

During major sacred days, the Lisu will give offerings to their ancestor spirits. They will change the water/ tea that are offered to the spirits in the teacups. The eldest son or most senior male in the family will perform such offerings to their ancestors. They will light candles to inform the spirits to come and “consume” the offerings. Besides that, the Lisu people will also pray to their ancestors to ask for good health and wealth for the entire family and prosperity for the household.  They believed that their ancestors will protect them from harm. Because they are holy and sacred. Every traditional ritual is of importance to the Lisu people especially during Lisu New Year, funeral and even birth ceremonies.