Skip to main content

Wancho Naga

The Wancho are indigenous people inhabiting the Patkai hills of Longding district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Culturally Naga, they are ethnically related to the Nocte of Arunachal Pradesh and Konyak of Nagaland. The Wancho language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family under Northern Naga languages

Religion[edit]

Unlike other Naga, the Wancho, together with the Nocte and a small minority of the Konyak, still retain the belief of Animism. These Animist Wancho believe in the existence of two powerful deities, Rang and Baurang.
Christianity has gained some followers among the Wancho, many of whom belong to the Baptist or Catholic denominations. Acceptance of Christianity has largely to do with comparative influences from the Nagas of Nagaland as well as changing perspectives towards headhunting. However, this has also resulted in the decline in many aspects of their traditional culture, which has strong associations with religion.[2]
At the 2001 census, just 10% of the Wancho were Hindu and another 16% were Animist (2.55% Hindu and 0.55% Animist as per 2011 census).

Culture[edit]

Tattooing plays a major role among the Wancho tribe. According to tradition, a man is tattooed on his four limbs and his entire face, with the exception of certain regions around the eyes and the lips. The women adorn themselves with necklaces and bangles, along with some light tattooing as well.
The prime festival of the Wancho is Oriah, a festival between March to April, for a period of six to twelve days interspersed with prayer, songs and dances. Villagers exchange bamboo tubes filled with rice beer as a mark of greeting and goodwill. Pork skin is then offered to the village chief as a mark of respect. This festival continues for several days as jhum paddies are sown, pigs, buffaloes and gayals are sacrificed, and feasts are arranged in each and every murung (dormitory). Boys and girls, wearing ceremonial costumes, sing and dance during Oriah. People dances around a "Jangban", a long ceremonial pole planted during Oriah.[3] 16 February is celebrated as the Wancho Oriah festival each year.[4]

Lifestyle[edit]

The Wancho are traditionally governed by a council of elderly chieftains, known as Wangham or Wangsa.[5]
Like most neighbouring tribes, the Wancho construct houses made out of wood and bamboo, and roofs were thatched with dry leaves. Dormitories, known as murung, are structures where the boys are trained to be men by their fathers. Although the girls do not have dormitories like the boys, they sleep in one big, single house, with the care of an old lady.[citation needed]
Until 1991, human headhunting was practiced among the Naga people, and both the government and missionaries have taken steps to ban the practice of headhunting, which is now restricted to animals.[citation needed]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix"www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  2. ^ Tanka Bahadur Subba, Sujit Som, K. C. Baral, North Eastern Hill University Dept. of Anthropology (2005). Between Ethnography and Fiction: Verrier Elwin and the Tribal Question in IndiaOrient Longman. pp. 6, 173–8. ISBN 8125028129.
  3. ^ Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh (1980). Arunachal Pradesh District Gazetteers. Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh. pp. 83–5.
  4. ^ http://arunachalipr.gov.in/GH_Local.htm
  5. ^ Verrier Elwin (1965). Democracy in NEFA. North-East Frontier Agency. p. 177.

External links[edit]

Popular Posts

The Nagas

Introduction The term "Naga" is used to describe groups of tribesmen of Indian and Chinese descent living in the hill country along the border of far eastern India and northwestern Burma. This article delves into the history, culture, and way of life of the Naga people, who were once known for headhunting. The name "Naga" was given to them by the Ahom people in Assam, and its origin remains uncertain. This article explores the Naga people's unique identity, their history, language, religion, traditions, and daily life. Historical Background The origin of the Nagas is still a mystery. Little is known about any group believed to be from China that migrated south of the Himalayas. It is believed that the Nagas and other Indians of Chinese descent originated in a region between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers in northwestern China and migrated to India in waves over several centuries. Their original settlements were around the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers in Burma. ...

Anal Naga

Here is your revised article with all instances of "ā" changed to "a", and the references section formatted in Turabian style (9th edition, Notes and Bibliography format): Anal Tribe of Manipur and Myanmar: History, Culture, and Identity Introduction The Anal tribe is an indigenous Naga community primarily found in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur and across the border in parts of Myanmar . Recognized as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) under the Indian Constitution, the Anal are one of the 66 officially acknowledged Naga tribes inhabiting the ancestral Naga homeland. Their population is distributed between Chandel district in India and Sagaing sub-division in Myanmar . Geographic Distribution In India , the Anal tribe is mainly concentrated in Chandel district , with a smaller presence in neighboring districts like Churachandpur and Thoubal . In Myanmar , the Anal people live in three villages under the administrative region of Sagaing . Historically,...

Angami Naga

The Angami Nagas: Culture, Society, and Traditions The  Angami Nagas  are one of the major ethnic groups of Nagaland, a state in Northeast India. Primarily inhabiting the  Kohima and Dimapur districts , they are also recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in Manipur. The Angamis are renowned for their vibrant  Sekrenyi festival , celebrated annually in February, and their unique  terraced wet-rice cultivation , a rare practice among Naga tribes. Geographical and Tribal Divisions The Angami territory, centered around Kohima, is traditionally divided into four regions: Southern Angami  – Located near  Mount Japfü , including villages like  Viswema, Jakhama, and Kigwema . Western Angami  – Home to  Khonoma (a historic warrior village), Jotsoma, and Mezoma . Northern Angami  – Encompassing  Kohima (Kewhira), Chiechama, and Tuophema . Chakhro Angami  – Small settlements near  Dimapu...