The paper seeks to understand the material significance of tsok in ritual and post-ritual moments in the 49 days following a death. After briefly introducing the concept of tsok and its role in merit accumulation, I query how these materials continue to be important for community cohesion after their ritual use is complete, particularly in the process of their disposal. Depending on the context, there are a variety of ways tsok might be disposed of, including being given to animals, birds, or humans. In the funeral context, I argue that the post-ritual distribution of tsok is a ritualized activity in and of itself that reinforces social cohesion. As one of the earliest activities in the 49-day mourning period, the importance of the act of giving is especially potent. The accumulation of merit is a key component in the distribution of tsok throughout the mourning period. I consider in more depth how the meritorious act of post-ritual tsok distribution works as a salve in the mourning process, for individuals, and for the community as a whole.
This paper also explores whether and how tsok made from food can be considered material culture. As something fleeting and impermanent, food may not always be considered in discussions of material culture. However, in the case of tsok, the giving and receiving of these physical objects are emphasized, as is the long-abiding importance of this category of ritual substance. In trying to understand the relationship between tsok and material culture, I focus on the physical giving and receiving of tsok as a means of defining social relationships.
