Introduction
The Pochury tribe is an indigenous group primarily found in the state of Nagaland, India. This article explores the origin, identity, and traditions of the Pochury tribe.
Origin and Identity
The Pochury identity is of relatively recent origin, forming a composite tribe from three Naga communities: Kupo, Kuchu, and Khuri. The name "Pochury" is an acronym derived from the names of three native villages of these tribes: Sapo, Kechuri, and Khury. Migrants from the Sangtam and Rengma tribes have also been absorbed into the Pochury group.
According to tribal legends, these villages engaged in battles against each other in the past but united to form a single tribe after negotiations for peace. The British administration previously classified these three Pochury communities as sub-tribes of other Naga tribes, referring to them as "Eastern Sangtam" or "Eastern Rengma." After India's independence, the Pochury tribe campaigned for recognition as a separate tribe. The Census of India acknowledged them as a separate scheduled tribe in 1991.
Cultural Practices and Traditions
Historically, the Pochurys depended on agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, forest produce, and fishing. They primarily practiced jhum cultivation (slash-and-burn), with limited terrace cultivation in the Tizu and Chichi river basins. Barter was the basis for cattle trading, and they used iron pieces as currency.
The staple food of the Pochury is rice, and they also consume rice beer. The society was traditionally monogamous, with polygamy allowed but limited to the wealthy. Both neolocal and patrilocal residences were common. The dowry included tools, clothing, and food, and bride prices were customary in most villages.
Women enjoyed a relatively equal status, but in cases of divorce, the wife typically received one-fourth of her property. Adoption was allowed, and adopted children had the same rights as natural heirs.
Each village was administered by a miizaluo (village council) comprising 6-7 elders from different clans. The village chief came from the Tsuori clan. The Pochurys had various naming ceremonies, ear-piercing rituals, and adolescent rites, although these have largely been abandoned in modern times.
Religion and Beliefs
The Pochury tribe practiced a traditional religion known as Anale, involving spirit worship. They believed in a supreme creator named Asapavan, a secondary deity named Wangparel, and various spirits. The largest Pochury rite was the Akam, which consisted of six stages and took six years to complete. During the Akam, the Pochury sacrificed mithun and pigs and offered feasts to the community. However, some Pochury individuals converted to Christianity.
Economic Activities
Pochury men worked as carpenters, specializing in bamboo furniture and basketry, while women focused on weaving and spinning locally grown cotton. Traditional agricultural practices included the cultivation of rice, corn, soybeans, pumpkins, tomatoes, and gourds. Modernization and competition from factory-produced goods led to the abandonment of many traditional methods.
Arts and Culture
The Pochury people had various traditional musical instruments, including the khuwang (drum), sanamba (three-stringed fiddle), dolkhuwang (gong), pengkhul (trumpet), tilli (flageolet), rasem (a pipe instrument), and diengdong (xylophone). They were skilled dancers, performing traditional dances like kamdam and ludam during festivals and victorious headhunting celebrations.
Cuisine
The Pochury tribe had an omnivorous diet, including fish, eggs, beef, pork, and other meats, along with fruits and vegetables. While traditionally not consumers of milk, some families began to drink it with tea. They also drank a form of rice beer known as zupar or zuhrin.
The Pochury tribe is a vibrant community with a rich cultural heritage, and their traditions continue to shape their way of life in the modern world.