The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

manuscript - Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf, Naga diary two

caption: eclipses and earthquakes
medium: diaries
ethnicgroup: Konyak
location: Kongan
date: 25.9.1936
production:
person: Furer-Haimendorf
date: 2.6.1936-11.7.1937
note: translated from german by Dr Ruth Barnes
acquirer:
person: School of Oriental and African Studies Library, London
text: During an eclipse the entire village shouts "don't eat her, don't eat her". Two different opinions exist about earthquakes. The older one is that an earthquake occurs when Ghagang comes down to earth. Another one says that the earth turns around itself every day and when she hits something this causes a tremor. This and the opinion that Ghagang is like a Brahmin or Fakir shows the influence of the plains. All the men said with certainty that Ghagang is male but the Gashis are female.
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