| caption: |
influence of Christian missionaries |
| text: |
From Kanching the last Konyak village in this direction, a very good bridle path almost as wide as a small road, leads to the Ao village Merangkong staying at the same height along a mountain ridge. Already in the fields one notices the influence of the mission. The women wear little jackets dyed the most dreadful colours. We left Merangkong on our right and rode on without stopping. Below Yongyimsen we were met by another group of women who offered us tea instead of rice beer. Soon it got worse. (100) A wretched little Ao minister in khaki shorts and a purple coat was expecting us together with his little lambs who started to sing a hymn when we showed up. This was supposed to be 'God Save the King'. Mills told the minister that they should rather sing about how they had taken three heads from Yungya. Apparently the priest did not like to hear this and was even less pleased when Mills told him that the songs of their forefathers had been good enough for them and should therefore be sufficient for now as well. |
