| caption: |
a drinking party and singing |
| text: |
The Ang has little personality and did not feel like talking very much, though the rum gradually mellowed the atmosphere. Several men, including the A.C.M., congregated and were more articulate than the Ang. Among them was a curious character in the remnants of a green uniform and a turned-up moustache giving him a quite un-Naga like appearance incongruous with his old-style face tattoo. He was a member of the Underground, who surrendered last year. He now works as a contractor and recently took a road contract for Rs.20,000 on which he hopes to make a profit of Rs.13,000. The unsophisticated villagers will work for a feast with a buffalo and some pigs, and the contractor can pocket most of the money. After some time it was suggested that we should also offer some rum to the ladies of the house. We produced a third bottle, and then first very shyly several women appeared soon followed by the remaining female members of the household. Later we heard that never before had they joined the men in the personal hall of the Ang. But they drank of the rum and were not unwilling to sing later on, insisting however that the singing should be done in one of the women's rooms. |
