when a man dies, his nagaiya are obligated to attend his funeral where his family will give them "anonkaiyambu" or “head pay”. the nagaiya are then duty bound to avenge the death of their age mate. thus, elderly men whose nagaiya are all dead fear that they will be killed by an enemy sorcerer as there is no one left to avenge them. after a man's death, his nagaiya and brothers become potential husbands for the widowed wife (the wife decides who she will marry). this creates stress on the relationship between a wife and her husband's nagaiya, as the nagaiyas are both friends and potential husbands.