Konyak are tribe lives in the remote villages of the Mon district in Nagaland . From Mokokchung it is like 150 km and almost 300 km from Dimapur . Mon district is situated in the north east part of the state . This district have border with Mayanmar. This konyak naga headhunters lives in a small village on the indo -mayanmar border area. Though now they don’t practise headhunting but in older days (before 1970) when there is fight between two villages they behade the head of their enemies and keep the head in a basket specially made to collect it . After coming to village they either put it in the door of their house or in Marang.
This is a tradition which goes down after govt intervention and coming of the Christian missionary. konyak have a unique tattoo culture associated with Headhunting . In 1935 by law Britishers banned this practish but still upto 1970 there have news of head hunt among them . They also hang the head of Mithun in front of their house . This shows status in the society . Their houses are mainly made by the bamboo and the roof by the palm leaf. People from konyak tribes eat mainly rice and some vegetables and meat . Rice bear is major brinks for them .
Why konyak people headhunt?
This the bravery symbol in their community . It shows also the power in their community . Also for some belivers if the human blood is sacrificed then it will come with the good fortune for their crop and good health for the community . Territory conflict also another reason for this head hunting . When a boy goes to the enemy village and can hunt a head of a human then it was a symbol for becoming a man . He is now qualified for the marriages . society recognise manhood only when he does this rituals .
After Headhunting some unique tattoo was made in their face showing their status in the Koynak naga headhunters society . Now only some head hunter are alive and they are in their 70-80. They kept those heads in the marang (place for bachelor men) to show their gallentary. They also wear a chain indicating how many head he hunt. They always keep those wepons with them . They don’t distinguishes when they hunt . They cut any ones head man , woman children and older man but they specifically hunt children and woman and older womans head . Face tattoo only made when He becomes headhunter. Back tattoo shows the status of his friend .
Tattoos associated with Headhunt
Both man and woman made tattoo . woman do when they are 8-10 years of old and men in 12-15. They are the most fearce worrier in the north east . Men made tattoo in the face , neck , chest and in the back . Each tattoo having different meaning . Woman mostly tattooed in their leg . It shows their adolence . This tattoo was made by the resin made by local plant . The needles used for the tattoo were rattan palm spike . They bind the spike and then made tattoo . This is a very painfull story . Only the queen of the village can do the tattoo. when the tattoo done people holding them straight.On the day tattoo was made in the village there was cow or pig This process of tattoo happens whole day . Now this culture of tattooing totally vannished among this tribes . on this tattoing days sticky red rice and the rice bear is served among them .
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Key Points among Koynag
- They mostly eat meat of different animals and rice with rice bear .
- Cultivation is the major occupation here
- They lives in very interior parts of the state . That is why they develop this unique culture .
- Mating before marrige for man and woman is common in this tribes .
- They also used bamboo to store drinking water
- Most of the men in this area have guns of their own . This is their cultural part .
- Spring festivals are the major festival of their place .
- In traditinlas festival they wear hat made of pig skull and put boars tusk in the ear and hornbills feather in the hat .
- For locking their homes they don’t use lock and key only uses two wooden stick .
