The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

manuscript notes made by W.G. Archer between 1946 & 1948, and miscellaneous papers and letters

caption: portrait of Mauwang
medium: notes
person: MauwangChingai
location: Shengha Mon
production:
person: Archer/ W.G.
date: 1946-1948
refnum: 7:6
text: Mauwang. Not the most impressive personality. Too much of the clown and buffoon and I felt that the village as a whole found him rather tiresome. Chingai, for instance, can make a gathering rock with laughter with his wit and funny sallies. But no one laughs at Mauwang. In fact his theatrical posturings are rather pathetic. He is a loon rather than a wit. He is so obviously not a great Ang and at the end of a dance he comes cringing for money.
text: Oddly enough the Ang of Shengha has the same wild unkempt appearance, the same lack of dignity, the same cringing way of demanding money. The two are completely lacking in aristocratic manners or poise. Mauwang has 1 wife and 5 commoner wives - 2 daughters at present by his senior wife - if he dies without a son the Angship will revert to Mon.