Your song: How tunes work as names in Meghalaya’s whistling village

In Kongthong village, Meghalaya, each person receives a unique melody called a Jingrwai Iawbei (song-name) composed by their mother after birth.

The song-name is rooted in the matrilineal Khasi tribe, connecting each individual to their ancestral mother (Iawbei), and is used for calling someone across the hills.

The melodies are not written down or formally taught; they evolve with the child and are a practical communication tool in the village's landscape.

Increased tourism and social media attention are changing the village's traditional way of life, as outsiders come to experience the song-names.