Konyak Naga

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Konyak Naga
Koniak 0382b.jpg
Konyak chief in traditional outfit
Total population
320,000 approx.
Regions with significant populations
Flag of India.svg  India N/A
           Nagaland N/A
           Seal of Assam.svg Assam N/A
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar N/A
           Flag of Naga Self-Administered Zone.png Naga SAZ N/A
Languages
Konyak language
Religion
Christianity and Animism
Related ethnic groups
Wancho, Other Naga Ethnic Groups, Garo

The Konyaks are a major Naga ethnic group native to the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. [1] They inhabit the Mon District, which is also known as The Land of the Anghs. The Anghs/Wangs are their traditional chiefs whom they hold in high esteem. Facial tattoos were earned for taking an enemy's head. [2]

Contents

Other unique traditional practices that set the Konyaks apart are: gunsmithing, iron-smelting, brass-works, and gunpowder-making. Members of a village were asked to urinate in one particular place for months. Urine has potassium nitrate and sulphur. The urine rich soil is then boiled. A black residue floats on top of the water which is collected, dried, mixed with charcoal, and turned into gunpowder. They are also known for making excellent Yanglaü (machetes) and wooden sculptures.[ citation needed ]

Society

The Konyaks are the largest of the Naga ethnic groups. They are found in Tirap, Longding, and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh; Sibsagar District of Assam; and in Naga Self-Administered Zone of Myanmar. They are known in Arunachal Pradesh as the Wanchos ('Wancho' is a synonymous term for 'Konyak'). Ethnically, culturally, and linguistically the Nocte and Tangsa of the same neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh, are also closely related to the Konyaks. The Konyaks were the last among the Naga ethnic groups to accept Christianity. In the past, they were infamous for attacking nearby villages, often resulting in killings and decapitation of the heads of opposing warriors. The decapitated heads were taken as trophies and usually hung in the 'baan' (a communal house). The number of hunted heads indicated the power of a warrior. The headhunting expeditions were often driven by certain beliefs, such as code of honour and principles of loyalty and sacrifice.[ citation needed ]

The ethnic members maintain a very disciplined community life with strict adherence to duties and responsibilities assigned to each of them.[ citation needed ]

Culture

A chief of Konyaks in his traditional outfit Koniak 0382b.jpg
A chief of Konyaks in his traditional outfit

Festival

Aoleang is a festival celebrated in the first week of April (1–6) to welcome the spring and also to invoke the Almighty's (Kahwang) blessing upon the land before seed-sowing, is the biggest festival of the Konyaks. Another festival, Lao Ong Mo, is the traditional harvest festival celebrated in the months of August/September.[ citation needed ]

A ceremonial basket of the Konyak tribe with a skull and two human heads carved from wood. This basket is a status symbol. Ceremonial basket Konyak Naga.jpg
A ceremonial basket of the Konyak tribe with a skull and two human heads carved from wood. This basket is a status symbol.

Language

The Konyak language belongs to the Northern Naga sub-branch of the Sal sub-family of Sino-Tibetan. Konyak language share similarities with Garo and Bodo languages than it is to other Naga languages.[ citation needed ]

Notable people

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nocte people</span> Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh, India

The Nocte people, also known as the Nocte Naga, are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group primarily living in Northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. They number about 111,679, mainly found in the Patkai hills of Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Ethnically related to the Konyak Naga, their origins can be traced back to the Hukong Valley in Myanmar, where they migrated from between the 1670 and 1700.

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Tirap district (Pron:/tɪˈɹæp/) is a district located in the southeastern part of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It shares a state border with Assam, an international border with Myanmar and a district border with Changlang and Longding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wancho Naga</span> Tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, India

The Wancho people, also known as the Wancho Naga, are a Tibeto-Burmese indigenous ethnic group inhabiting the Patkai hills of Longding district in the Northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Wancho's history is mostly based on present day Nagaland.Even today, There are villages in Wancho inhabited area in Arunachal and konyak inhabited Mon Nagaland with the same names for example Longkei village. The Wancho language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family under Northern Naga languages.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mon district</span> District of Nagaland in India

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The Sal languages, also known as the Brahmaputran languages, are a branch of Tibeto-Burman languages spoken in northeast India, as well as parts of Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), and China.

The Konyak languages, or alternatively the Konyakian, Northern Naga, or Patkaian languages, is a branch of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken by various Naga peoples in southeastern Arunachal Pradesh and northeastern Nagaland states of northeastern India. They are not particularly closely related to other Naga languages spoken further to the south, but rather to other Sal languages such as Jingpho and the Bodo-Garo languages. There are many dialects, and villages even a few kilometers apart frequently have to rely on a separate common language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf</span>

Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf or Christopher von Fürer-Haimendorf FRAI was an Austrian ethnologist and professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies at London. He spent forty years studying tribal cultures in Northeast India, in the central region of what is now the state of Telangana and in Nepal. He was married to British ethnologist of India and Nepal, Betty Barnardo.

The Phoms are a Naga ethnic group native to the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. They primarily inhabit the Longleng District of the state. Their traditional territory lies between the territories of Konyak in the north-east, the Ao in the west and the Chang in the south. They celebrate several festivals in a year but Monyiü is the greatest among them which is celebrated from April 1 to 6 every year. Other traditional festivals include Moha, Bongvum and Paangmo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wancho language</span> Language

Wancho (वांचो‎) is a Konyak language of north-eastern India. Wancho is spoken in 36 villages of southeastern Longding district, Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh, as well as in Assam and Nagaland (Ethnologue). Alternate names include Banpara Naga, Joboka, Jokoba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hill tribes of Northeast India</span> Indian ethnic group

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The following is a list of articles relating to the Indian state of Nagaland, sorted in alphabetical order.

References

  1. 'Konyak Nagas' by Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf, (1969)
  2. "Portraits of India's last tattooed headhunters before they disappear".

Further reading