| caption: |
Types of dao; cire perdu casting; Kacha Naga dancing |
| text: |
...A word about daos. Don't make up the case of old daos yet as I will send along a Kacha Naga dao of a curious type. It is obviously almost the same as the long-tanged Kabui dancing dao, of which Hutton has probably given you a specimen (if he hasn't I will), but is only used to put on graves. It is definitely stated to be an old pattern of dao. The specimen is modern, as men get them made ready for their funerals. I have had an excellent tour, right along the Manipur border in Kuki and Kacha Naga villages to which even Hutton has never been. Among other things I have got a little series of specimens showing Kuki cire perdu work. There is only one man in the district who can do it and I happened to strike him. I have found the Kukis extraordinarily interesting. The Kacha Naga dancing is delightful, but as in nearly every village the young men and maidens turned out and leapt before me it has been rather expensive... |
| text: |
My next trip will be out beyond Kerami, but as both you and Hutton have been over the ground I don't expect to find anything new.... |
