| caption: |
Chapter Twenty-seven. Return to Nagaland |
| caption: |
numerous trophy heads at the chief's house at Chui |
| text: |
Under the eaves of the chief's house, tied to the wall or resting on shelves were innumerable trophies. To the left there were several rows of enemies' heads, a hundred and thirty-seven altogether, reputedly the largest collection in this area, not perhaps because the men of Chui had been more successful warriors, but rather because they had been preserved from fires such as had ravaged (232) other collections. The origin of most of the heads was still known and an old man took great pride to point out the heads acquired on more recent raids. He even took one head from the shelf, and demonstrated how in his youth he used to dance with a newly captured head. |
