The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

printed - tour diary of the Deputy Commissioner of the Naga Hills for the year 1870-1872 (John Butler) volume two

caption:

planning routes for roads; description of Sepamah village; distribution of potatoes for planting

medium:

tours

person:

Krohma clan/ Sepamah Kotzuma clan/ Sepamah Merama clan/ Sepamah Puphetzuma clan/ Sepamah Nisonoma clan/ Sepamah

ethnicgroup:

Kutcha Naga Kuki

location:

Kedimah Mt. Muzemah Diphupani Zubza R. (Zumha R.) Piphemah Barail Range (Burrail Range) Razephemah Chamah Sepamah

date:

25.2.1872

production:

person:	Butler/ John
date:	22.11.1870-17.2.1873

note:

inaccurate spelling in the original text

text:

25th February, Sunday. Halted to-day in order to have a good look at the country and see in which direction a road might be best made to suit the trade coming in from the Muzemah direction, for which purpose I ascended the Kedimah mountain and had a magnificent view all round and as far as I can see at present, I think the best line of country to take for the main road from Samaguting into the Angami hills is to crop the Diphupani just above its junction with the Zumha and then follow up the latter stream along its left bank until we reach the ridge on which Piphemah is situated, and when once we have got to that point, our chief difficulties will be over. I must however add no line of road will give us so easy a gradient up to the Burrail range as that leading through the old site of Razephemah into Chamah, and moreover by following this line we should not have to cross a single stream of any size, and we would open out the Kutcha Naga and Kuki country and increase our trade with those tribes very considerably. I was much surprised to find a large herd of elephants had lately been paying a visit to the very summit of Kedimha and if I had not personally seen the unmistakable proofs of their having been there, I should certainly never have believed it possible that they could have ascended so high a mountain.

text:

Sepamah is said to have been a very large village in former days and I can, well believe it for the old deserted sites of former houses with their numerous large graves lying on every side bear witness to its former size. The village consists now of 5 clans and contains 146 houses divided as follows:-
_____________________________________________Houses
__________Krohma_...___...___...___...___...___44
__________Kotzuma...___...___...___...___...___31
__________Merama...____...___...___...___.,.___28
__________Puphetzuma___...___...___...___...___26
__________Nisonoma_____...___...___...___...___17
______________________________________________----
___________________________________Total_...__146
______________________________________________----

text:

It is well situated for defence and strongly fortified being easily accessible only from the direction of Piphema to which village there is a fair road running along the side of the Kedimha mount, and I think they will do their best to ensure success for they seemed delighted at the idea of driving such a glorious trade. In the evening I distributed several seers of potatoes among the Headmen of Sepamah and thoroughly explained to them how they should be planted. I also told them I would give them six annas for every seer they could bring in to me at Samaguting.

refnext:

refprev: