| caption: |
head-takers fourth line of cowrie shells on his skirt |
| text: |
As I was drinking rice beer at the house of the Nisonuma gaonbura I noticed that Duovizo Angami was wearing a kilt with a fourth line of cowries. This is the coveted badge of a successful headhunter. It appears that twenty years ago he accompanied J.P.Mills on a transfrontier expedition as a baggage porter. During the operation, a transfrontier Naga was shot by a Gurkha and Duovizo was the first to get in and cut off the head. He was able to secrete it on his person and get it back to the village. When he arrived the skull was divided into four pieces. One was given to Khonoma, one to Jotsoma, one to Kirufema and the rest was divided among Mezoma itself. All the young men shared and as a result, they became eligible for wearing warrior's feathers. Duovizo however is the only Angami in the village who can wear a fourth line of cowries. Since this is the sole prerogative of the man who takes the head. |
