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: sexual behaviour
medium: notes
person: Zopianga
ethnicgroup: AngamiAoKonyakSemaYimchungrSangtam
production:
person: Archer/ W.G.
date: 1946-1948
refnum: 2:17
text: Zop and Angamis' views of sex - the breasts are everything - holding the breasts is the only form of love-play - no kissing - no caressing of other parts but for exciting desire the hair also plays a part - the wasp waist is regarded with horror - but although the buttocks are not caressed, a girl must be well rounded - with ample curving haunches -
text: Zop's view is that Angamis do not copulate very much - once in 3 or 4 days - often not for a week - the boys do not have much pre- marital experience - Angamis except the E. Angamis do not readily talk about sex - boy's house keeps them away from girls - method - lying on each other like European - Zop does not know of any common variations though 'Individuals may try them' - the squatting method unknown - ... the cold of the hills + the arduous work weakens sex - but cf. Ao and Konyak pre-marital life & cf. again Sema and Yimchungr and Sangtam pre-marital chasity.