The Nagas

Hill Peoples of Northeast India

Project Introduction The Naga Database

published - extracts on Nagas from 'Assam Administration Report'

caption: Naga Hills district
caption: Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs
caption: Trade
medium: reports
production:
date: 1886
production:
date: 1887
text: 35. There are no statistics available to show the amount of trade done by the Kacha Nagas, Kukis, Mikirs, Rengmas, Lhotas and Semas. Passes are issued to Angamis desiring to leave the district for trade, but these only show the articles proposed to be purchased. The following table, compiled from such passes, shows how the prosperity of this tribe has gradually increased during the last five years:-
text: ________________________1882-3___1883-4___1884-5___1885-6__ _1886-7
_Number_of_passes__..._____425______394______475______ 339______186
___"____"__Nagas___...___2,491____2,136____2,722____1, 864____3,122
__________________________Rs._______Rs.______Rs.______ Rs.______Rs.
_Imports_of_salt___...__20,000____8,027_____not_____6, 469___10,850
___________________________________________stated
___"_____"_cattle__...___not______4,610____7,890___10, 327___14,765
________________________stated
___"_____"_beads_and______"_______7,800_____not____22, 037___28,800
___________ornaments______________________stated
___"_____"_all_other______"_______6,367______"______4, 550____4,427
___________goods
_______________________-------__-------__-------__---- ---__-------
_Gross_value_of
__imports_Rs._____...__35,662____26,804___40,965___43, 383___58,842
_______________________-------__-------__-------__---- ---__-------
text: The beads and ornaments are purchased for trade with the Eastern Angamis from whom fowls, pigs and dried fish are received in exchange.
text: The Angamis also carry on an internal trade in mithan, which they purchase from the Kacha Nagas and sell to the Semas and Lhotas. The Deputy-Commissioner is of opinion that a large trade will spring up between these hills and the Surma Valley when communications, of which the new road to Henima, extending half-way from Kohima to Cachar is the first link, are properly opened out. Native trade with Manipur is said to be much hampered by the exactions of the petty officials of that State, but if a cart-road is made to Manipur, it is not improbably that a considerable portion, if not the whole, of the supply of rice required for the troops and police in Kohima may be brought from that State, where it is extremely cheap. The export trade of the district consists of cotton and forest produce. There are no fairs or hats among the Nagas, each household producing its own requirements.
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