Aoling Monyu Festival<\/strong><\/a>, falls in the first week of April. It is a time when the tribe don their traditional attire, gather to sing, dance and feast together as a community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nKuki<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Kukis, also known as the Chin in the Chin state of Myanmar and as Mizo in the Indian state of Mizoram are a number of related Tibeto-Burman tribal peoples spread throughout the northeastern states of India, northwestern Burma, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. In Northeast India, they are present in all states except Arunachal Pradesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kukis have their own unique customs and traditions. Sawm, a community center for boys \u2013 was the center of learning. The best students were recommended to the King\u2019s or the Chief\u2019s service, and eventually would become leaders or warriors in the army. Lawm (a traditional form of youth club) was an institution in which, boys and girls engaged in social activities, for the benefit of the individual and the community. Besides being a source of traditional learning, Lawm was also useful for imparting technical and practical knowledge to its members, especially with regard to farming methods, hunting, fishing, and sporting activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kuki men wear colorful\u00a0Sangkhol, a jacket and a \u2018Pheichawm\u2019 (short\u00a0dhoti). Sometimes a\u00a0Chaddar\u00a0or a wrap is used. They also wear\u00a0Tuhpah\u00a0(head cover). Women wear anih-san\u00a0underneath a pon\u2019ve or a wraparound. The dress is worn from above the chest. Ornaments include earrings, bracelets, bangles, necklace and a typical ring shaped earring to stretch the ear lobe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mimkuut Festival\u00a0is the major festival celebrated by Kukis and falls in the month of January. It is celebrated with great fanfare with the drinking of rice-beer, singing, dancing, and feasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nLotha<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Lotha is the name of a major Naga tribe inhabiting the Wokha district. Locals\u00a0\u00a0 mention that the Rengmas and the Lothas were once part of a single tribe. There are oral records of a mighty struggle between the combined Rengma villages, and the Lotha village of Phiro. Like many Nagas, the Lothas practiced headhunting in the olden days. After the arrival of Christianity, they gave up this practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tokhu Emong and Pikhuchak are the main festivals celebrated amidst much pomp and splendour. Tokh\u00fc Emong, the harvest festival, is yearly celebrated the 1st week of November and it stretches over to 9 days. The entire village takes part in the celebration. The main features of the festival are community songs, dances, feast, fun and frolic. Lothas are renowned for their colorful dances and folk songs. The male members wear shawls indicating their social status. The prestigious social shawl is locally called \u2018Opvuram\u2019 for women and \u2018Longpensu\u2019 for men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPhom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Their traditional territory lies between that of the Konyak in the north-east, the Ao in the west and the Chang in the south. Yongnyah is the largest Phom village. The origin of the Phoms, like that of other Naga tribes, is uncertain. One oral folklore of the Phoms states that their ancestors originated from stones.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agriculture is their main occupation and the tribe practices jhum cultivation. The Phoms also engage in pottery, bamboo work and spinning. The traditional Phom dressing was indicative of the social status of the wearer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ordinary clothing included a white or a dark blue shawl-like body wrap. A man who had taken a head or offered feasts had the privilege to wear a cowrie-ornamented shawl, locally called \u2018fanet-henyu\u2019. The women wore skirts called shung-nang, which came in different colors and patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Phoms have 4 major festivals, the most important of which is Monyu. The others are Moha, Bongvum and Paangmo. Monyu is a 12-day festival, which marks the end of winter and onset of summer which usually falls between 1-6 April. One or two days before the festival, its arrival is signaled by beating log drums. The festival involves community feasting, dancing, singing and social work such as infrastructural repairs and construction of bridges. During the festival, the men present their married daughters or sisters with rice beer and special food to show their affection and respect. The priests or the village elders predict the outcome of the coming year for the village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPochury<\/h2>\n\n\n\n This Naga tribe inhibits the eastern part of the Phek district, centered on the Meluri town about 170 Km from the state capital Kohima. The Pochury is a composite tribe formed by three Naga communities: Kupo, Kuchu and Khuri. The word Pochury is an acronym formed by the names of three native villages of these tribes: Sapo, Kechuri and Khuri. Besides the three main communities, migrants belonging to the Sema, Sangtam and Rengma tribes have also been absorbed in the Pochury group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pochury are dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry. Hunting, forest produce and fishing were the major subsidiary occupations. They mainly practised jhum cultivation and terrace cultivation was practised by those living in the basins of Tizu and Chichi rivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pochury had a village council called \u2018mozaluo\u2019 comprising 6-7 elders from different clans to manage the village affairs. These traditional village councils are now elected by the people. They retain several administrative powers, although their judicial powers have been curtailed by the government. The village councils elect area councils, which are responsible for welfare and development activities, and also settle inter-village disputes. The Village Development Board, with 5-6 members, supervises the execution of development schemes within a village, under the leadership of village council chairman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yemshi is an annual traditional festival celebrated by all the Pochury. It is a combination of the different festivals celebrated by its three sub-tribes; Kupo, Kuchu and Khuri and is celebrated on 5 October. Another major Pochury festival is Nazu which is celebrated for ten days in February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nRengma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Rengma Tribe are found in both Nagaland and Assam. The community is further divided into two categories \u2013 Eastern and Western Rengma. According to the local folklore, the Rengmas and the Lothas were once part of a single tribe. There are also oral records of a mighty struggle between the combined Rengma villages, and the Lotha village of Phiro. Slavery used to be a practice among the Rengmas which was a declined by the time the British arrived. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The traditional Rengma clothing consists of clothes worn according to the social status and position of the weavers. Colors, patterns, ethnic motifs and symbols vary acordingly. \u2018Rhikho\u2019 is a cloth worn by a man who has never been able to offer a great feast or has never killed an enemy. Rhikho is a white cloth with four narrow black bands and the number of black bands varies with the age of the wearer. \u2018Moyet tsu\u2019, another ordinary type of cloth is usually worn by the young men. It is a dark blue cloth with a very broad median band, with the red zigzag pattern at the edges. \u2018Alungtsu is a cloth worn by important men. \u2018Teri Phiketsu\u2019 is a shawl, which requires the wearer to perform the head hunting ceremony. Rengmas are famous for making yellow dye from the flowers of a tree. They also practice painting on cloth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They are considered experts in terrace cultivation and their harvest festival is a time for merriment. The harvest festival is called Ngada and is an eight-day festival that marks the end of the agricultural season. Ngadah is celebrated just after the harvest, towards the end of November. The village high priest announces the date of commencement of the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSangtam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Sangtam people are one of the major tribes in Nagaland inhibiting the southern part of the state under the Kiphire district and the Northern part in the Longkhim-Chare sub-division of Tuensang district.Like many other tribal groups in Northeast India, they practice jhum, or shifting cultivation. Unlike other Naga tribes in Nagaland, many of the Sangtam have retained their traditional beliefs in spite of embracing Christianity at the same time. Sangtams celebrate twelve different festivals, in particular Mongmong, all of which are affiliated with their traditional culture and religion. They are united under the common banner called \u201cUnited Sangtam.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSumi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Sumis mainly inhabit the Zunheboto district, although many have spread to other districts within Nagaland. They are also one of the most united and the most aggressive tribe, but despite their ferocity and aggressive nature in warfare, they are also known for their simplicity and honesty. Their loyalty towards their tribesmen and friends is unparalleled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Sumis celebrate many festivals to mark the beginning of new seasons, harvesting of new crops or victory at war. The two major festivals are Tuluni and Ahuna. Tuluni celebrated on 8th July is a festival of great significance for the Sumi. This festival is marked with feasts as the occasion occurs in the bountiful season of the year. This midyear festival is a time of communal harmony and merry-making for the Sumi community. Slaughtering of pigs, cows and mithun is an important feature of this festival. Ahuna celebrated on 14th November is a traditional post-harvest festival of the Sumis. On this occasion, the entire community prepares and feasts on the first meal of rice drawn from the season\u2019s harvest cooked in bamboo segments. In modern times, Ahuna is celebrated as a major public event with an array of cultural activities of traditional songs and dances, traditional sports and different cultural competitions and with traditional food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYimchunger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Yimchunger is one of the major Naga tribes of Nagaland and the Tuensang district within India and areas of Burma. According to the Yimchunger tradition, the tribe emerged at a village called Moru, and then came to the Jure village. The Yimchungers and the Khiamungans are believed to have migrated to the present-day Nagaland from Upper Burma as one group, in one wave. They separated into two groups at the Moru village. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The traditional dress of the Yimchungers includes colorful cane headgear decorated with animal hair and bird feathers. The Government of Nagaland has been instrumental in providing the proper tools and platform for the Yimchunger to share their traditions, culture, and craft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Metemneo is the traditional five-day harvest festival of the Yimchunger tribe and is celebrated after the millet crop is harvested, usually in the second week of August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nZeliang<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Zemes that inhabit in Nagaland call themselves Zeliang and those of the Manipur borders are called Zeliangrong. There are many different tribes that speak Zeme Naga which is now considered to be an endangered language. The tribes who still use this language are spread out in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their villages are found nearby natural water source, preferably a running stream. However, the Zemes like other Naga communities habitually construct their houses on hill tops. In head hunting days, the people were very suspicious and watchful on every movement of any outsider. Their settlement perched on the hill summit is the best location to organize the required village security. Zeme villages are homogeneous and no two different tribes are found dwelling in any single village settlement. The villages are, however, composite in respect of kinship and clan organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hega festival is one of the most important and the largest festivals among the Zeliang community. It falls in the month of February from 10th to 15th every year. It is a festival invoking the gods for blessings of good health and prosperity. It is also a festival of joy and social gathering. Chega Gadi is another important and popular festival of the Zeliang people to thank the gods for a good harvest. The date for the celebrations often differs between communities and villages.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Naga are a group of several tribes who speak various distinct Tibeto-Burman languages, including : Poumai (Poula), Sumi, Lotha, Sangtam, Angami, Pochuri, Ao, Mao (Emela), Inpui, Rongmei (Ruangmei), Tangkhul, Thangal, Maram, and Zeme. In addition, they have developed Nagamese … Read moreTribes in Nagaland<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7882,"parent":1314,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nNagaland Tribes : Kuki - Phom - Sumi - Angami - Konyak - Lotha - Sangtam<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n\t \n