The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

manuscript - Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf, Naga diary five

caption: nudity, scarce clothing and sexual desire
medium: diaries
person: Chinyang
ethnicgroup: Konyak
location: Longkhai
date: 10.4.1937
production:
person: Furer-Haimendorf
date: 1.4.1937-26.6.1937
note: translated from german by Dr Ruth Barnes
acquirer:
person: School of Oriental and African Studies Library, London
text: Once more Chinyang took the opportunity to comment eagerly on the scanty clothing worn by the women of these villages. "With these small skirts one sees everything. Often one can see the opening and the clitoris (guti meaning fruits) as large as a fist, yes and one sees the blood flowing out and soiling the thighs. One does not want to look at this. If you see everything you lose your desire. Among the women of Wakching who cover everything up nicely, one thinks that it must be nice, it must be good. One gets the desire to go in, but here where all is visible you lose all desire to enter". A remarkable example that dress does not just cover up but entices too.