The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

manuscript - Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf, Naga diary four

caption: description of pretty wife of Ang
medium: diaries
ethnicgroup: Konyak
location: Longkhai
date: 22.2.1937
production:
person: Furer-Haimendorf
date: 12.2.1937-31.3.1937
note: translated from german by Dr Ruth Barnes
acquirer:
person: School of Oriental and African Studies Library, London
text: The Ang's wife is still quite pretty although she has been married for fourteen years. Her figure is slender and she has dainty hands and well shaped legs while the legs of most Naga women are usually quite stubby. She also makes a well groomed impression and is always covered from head to foot in jewellery. She had a tattoo on the back of her hand, something I had not seen before. When I meet her again in the house she gives me a knife (56) "To cut the rind of the betel nut". As a return gift I present her with a bundle of red wool.