The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

miscellaneous papers, notebooks and letters on Nagas by Ursula Graham Bower, 1937-1947

caption:

cannibalism

medium:

notes

ethnicgroup:

Zemi Angami

production:

person:	Graham Bower/ Ursula
date:	1937-1946

acquirer:

person:

private collection

text:

Cannibalism

text:

A tradition is extant that once the Angamis made a big raid and drove out a number of Zemi, and burnt their village. The survivors were starving in the jungle for some days, and the departing Angamis cooked some human flesh with pork and rice in and left it to be found. The starving men found it and began to eat, but presently realised it was human flesh. It was said to be "sour" and "bitter". They have no tradition of general cannibalism, except the usual belief in a village to the east.

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