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:

pardons for two Nagas involved in murder of Kuki scouts; description of Khonomah; Merhma-Semoma clans feud

medium:

tours

person:

Hichole Zuhe Pengule Zuvakhre Merhma clan/ Khonoma Nachatchuma clan/ Khonoma Khochuma clan/ Khonoma Semoma clan/ Khonoma Puphetchuma clan/ Khonoma Punitcha/ of Khonoma

location:

Jotsomah Khonomah

date:

15.3.1872

production:

person:	Butler/ John
date:	22.11.1870-17.2.1873

note:

inaccurate spelling in the original text

text:

15th March, Friday. The headmen of the several clans of Jotsomah having assembled in camp this morning, In informed them that I had been much pleased with their action in having at once given up Hichole, Zuhe and Pengule in compliance with my orders - that I had enquired into the case and had been satisfied of their guilt, but owing to Pengule's youth and notwithstanding his having escaped out of custody, I wished to deal leniently with him and that I therefore now promised to pardon both him and Zuvakhre on the condition that they both voluntarily come into me at Samaguting within 10 days from this date and then gave me a full and true account of all they knew in connection with the murder of the two Kuki scouts. After having thus publicly made this offer of pardon agreeable to the instructions contained in the proceedings of the Governor General's Agent, North East Frontier, in the case previously aluded to, I marched into Khonomah, a distance of about 5 miles along a fair path though rather stony running almost the whole way through terrace cultivation. In the afternoon I walked through the village and counted the houses of the respective clans which I found to be as follows:-
__________________________________________________Houses
__________Merhma_...____...____...____...____...___161
__________Nachatchuma___...____...____...____...____59
__________Kohchuma..____...____...____...____...____35
__________Semoma_...____...____...____...____...___257
__________Puphetchuma___...____...____...____...____33
__________________________________________________-----
________________________________________Total...___545_houses
__________________________________________________-----

text:

The Merhma and Semoma clans I regret to find still continue to wage a relentless war that has now lasted for years and it appears the former have just succeeded in killing another man of the Semoma clan as a set off against the murder of Punitcha lately committed by the Semoma clan, and under these circumstances I am afraid it is a hopeless task to attempt to reconcile these two clans by mere advice or argument. However as the Semoma men have asked me to halt here tomorrow as a special favour, I hope to make the attempt forlorn though it may be.

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