The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

letter from E.T.D. Lambert to J.H. Hutton

caption:

acting D.C. in Kohima, but moving soon to Dhubri; reference to argument between Mills and Walker; Mrs Milward's visit - sculpture; 'boats' for pulling up stones at Topmema; mixed village of Gariphema; re-use of gravestones

medium:

letters

person:

Hutton/ J.H.Blah Lightfoot Pawsey Mills Walker Milward/ Mrs Nihu/ of Kohima Doketsa/ of Khonoma Putsonyi Chehozu Nungshimeren/ of Ungma Ghosalie

location:

Kohima Tophema Gariphema

production:

person:	Lambert/ E.T.D.
date:	15.5.1938

acquirer:

person:	Pitt Rivers Museum Archive, Oxford
refnum:	Hutton Ms. Box 3 42-43

text:

Kohima,

text:

15/5/1938

text:

Dear Dr Hutton,

text:

Yours of St Patrick's Day which I should have answered ages ago, or did I, but just kept it until I found the traps you wanted? I have written to Blah asking him to send you the monkey skull from the Konyak area - Chui.

text:

I am still, thank the Lord, acting D.C. but go to Dhubri as offg. S.P. next July, first week, or end of June. Lightfoot comes here to act until Pawsey returns. No one knows why, but it was fixed up when I first took over. I can only imagine that they don't think Pawsey will be back by the middle of Sept. as arranged or that he may not be fit enough for the Naga Hills.

text:

J.P.M. [Mills] and G.D.W. [Walker?] have been having a battle royal. It has ended in G.D.W. sending a circular to hill officers under his charge saying they are not (underlined) to carry out any orders received direct from Govt. etc. That's round 1 to G.D. I don't know what the next step will be. It is very difficult for me as they have both been very good to me and without my asking I get confidences from both. I'm not breaking any secret in telling you of the circular and their battle! If you've seen Pawsey, as I hope you have he'll have told you all.

text:

Mrs Milward is still staying with me, or rather I've sent her off to Sadiya to do a Mishmi and an Abor. She comes back to to an Ao and a Kuki and then goes to Nepal and so home.

text:

She's done so far:
Nihu of Kohima group
Doketsa of Khonoma group
A youth of Viswema group
Putsonyi Eastern Angami
Chehozu Sema (not typical Sema but very interesting. She says he's a Roman!)
A youth of Humtso - Lhota
A Rengma of Tesophenyu
A Konyak of Longkhai (Brother of the okea Ang)
She's doing Nungshimeren of Ungma
A Kuki from Manipur, not yet arrived
She did in Manipur, a Tangkhul

text:

Its been hard work for her and an extra spot of work for me too. Its a pity she just didn't come and do all the Assam tribes!

text:

No serious scandal in the Naga Hills at the moment. Far from changing your orders I have re-introduced one or two.

text:

I'm on a short tour now, Tophema, Gariphema, Kidzematuma, Rekzoma Kohima and write from Kidze. I found Tophema most interesting. It must be a very old village. I saw one of their BOATS for pulling up stones. Did you ever use that for your theory. I'm told you photographed one. I've made a sketch of the one I saw this time.

text:

Gariphema is the most amazing village I have ever been in yet in the Naga Hills. Lhotas, Semas, Rengmas and Angamis (all groups) mixed up together and you can pick them out. One youth I said was of Jakhama and they replied at once that he was. He is one of the clan that came out of the pukuri there! Also one man I picked out as being a mahommedan, they said his ancestors came from the plains. I was very pleased with myself. I think I'm getting rather good at it and feel now that I can call you "MAMA".

text:

Did you know that you can take the stones from your ancestor's grave (to 5 generations) when you're short for a new one or you're too lazy to go elsewhere to search. You must bind up the venerable bones in a new cloth and bury them beside the body in the new grave. I haven't your book with me on tour to look it up. If you haven't got it I hope that it will be of some use (Tophema and Gariphema).

text:

Ghosalie and Chehozu who are with me send "many salaams"

text:

Eric T.D. Lambert

refnext:

refprev: