The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

typescript tour diary of W.G. Archer, S.D.O. Mokokchung 1947

caption: visit to Tseminyu
caption: head-taker's memorial
medium: tours
person: Suosimo/ of Tseminyu
ethnicgroup: Rengma <Western
location: Tseminyu
date: 25.1.1947
production:
person: Archer/ W.G.
date: 31.12.1946-14.2.1947
text: Besides the morung carvings I noticed a great towering pillar propped against a hedge in the middle of the village. It was about 20 feet in height. Eighteen heads came down in rows of three. Below them were three warriors' tails and after that more heads. I was told that this was a memorial to a warrior named Suosimo who had taken a single head and had died many years ago. It was cut and carved by his son and on being feasted the village youth had dragged it to its site.
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