The Nagas

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection new house ritual notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Houses When a new house is completed and the family move in, a dog must be put up on the bed for a few seconds before anyone may sleep on it. Next R86333 R86333 Previous ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection spirits notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection House-spirits All house and the village water-supply have benevolent spirits attached to them. They are very rarely seen, and then only as a floating light. The water-spirit (ta-kwa-..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Khangnam dekachangs notes nzun-ze Zemi Khangnam Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Nzun-ze: dekachangs used to, and should, have at least one nzun-ze, a massive sleeping-bench carved from a single gigantic log. Only 2 specimens are ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection divorce notes Zemi Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection General Divorce is allowed for incompatibility and desertion and adultery on the part of the wife; adultery by the husband is not a cause for divorce unless it amounts to ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection jhuming notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Cultivation (laws and customs relating to) Jhuming of virgin jungle: the owner of land on which anyone else cuts jhums in virgin jungle must give the cutter a pig as recompense for ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection gennas sickness genna - 'haraitsak' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Haraitsak (Haraichak) (genna against sickness) Used 1) When a man taken ill outside his village is brought in; 2) When a man has died outside the village ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hangrum gennas sickness genna - 'hera-na' notes Hangrum 1943-08-01:1943-08-01 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hera-na (Hangrum) (1.8.43) The tingkhupeo proclaims a "na" all the villagers being inside the perimeter, in the evening..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection field gennas 'hemeo-kezab-ra' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hemeo-kezab-ra If the ground in a field cracks through drought or other causes, this genna must be performed, and also if a log left lying in the jhums sinks ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection field gennas 'huzam-kia' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Huzam-kia Done for a slip in the jhums. Performed by tingkhupeo. A pig is offered to appease the hera who caused the slip and prevent it causing illness in the family..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection field gennas 'nei-ku-ra' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Nei-ku-ra Performed if a dhan-stalk is found with 10 nodes or joints. Dhan must be carried in by an even number of men. Near village, the field-owner's family meet ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection field gennas 'ting-teo-go' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Ting-teo-go (Laisong & Hangrum, Asalu use this only to get sun to ripen the harvest. Hangrum did this in the wet spring of '43 with great success, so Laisong ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection field gennas 'kaleo-da-ge-na' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Another genna to stop rain: kaleo-da-ge-na It is performed by the tingkhupeo in the morning in front of the house of the representative of the village founder's ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection field gennas 'hazam kia-hera-teora' notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hazam kia-hera-teora Performed if a field house catches fire; intended to recall the rice "which has run away in fear of the fire". Performed in the field,..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Laisong gennas laxity over gennas notes Laisong 1946-01-24:1946-01-24 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Note: On 24.1.46 Laisong village performed the ceremony hapao-lia-na, making offerings similar to those at Heramui and calling ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection scented creeper worn as decoration notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Nam-nieng This scented creeper, whose leaves are worn as decoration by the young bucks because of its alleged attraction for the opposite sex, is often hung..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection gennas personal gennas concerning domestic animals notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Personal gennas If a goat gives birth or a sow farrows, 5 days genna is observed. The house is closed to strangers but not to fellow-..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection hunting rituals notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hunting When a deer has been killed the carcase may not be cut up (though the throat may be cut if the deer is not quite dead) until someone who knows the formula has cut off ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection dangers of being well-known or famous notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hamui (hamui-hera) The unusually well-known or famous or anyone liable to be talked about is apt to become weighed down or weakened by being mentioned by..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection luck stones notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hga ("luck stones") The right kind of stone makes a nest for itself of grass, leaves and so on, and sits in it; when a man comes on a stone like this, he knows it is the real ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection gennas village genna concerning tiger kill notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Tigers If a tiger has taken a mithan or other animal, the owner may ask the tingkhupeo to proclaim a genna. The owner of the animal sits fasting ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Magulong (Maguilong) Asalu stone monuments notes Magulong (Maguilong) Asalu 1941-11-15:1941-11-15 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Heramleo built by Maguilong men at Asalu Sketch-plan, measurements & photos taken 15.11.41. ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Hangrum Asalu death and funerals notes Hangrum Asalu Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Death, funerals and associated customs Hangrum village regularly observe a day's abstention from field work on the death of a blind person (1.8...
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Laisong funeral at Laisong notes Laisong 1942-10-15:1942-10-15 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Funeral seen at Laisong, 15.10.42, 5.30pm. The man died at dawn. Many of the villagers were in the fields, so arrangements were made ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Asalu death in childbirth; apotia death notes Asalu Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Death in childbirth or through miscarriage is most unfortunate, and those dying so are very liable to become poltergeists or to haunt their ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Impoi women's grave ornaments notes Impoi 1943-01-01:1943-01-31 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection They also put up near the grave (as for all men) a pole with carved edges and an affair at the top like nothing so much as Japanese ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection death during harvest genna notes 1942-10-19:1942-10-19 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection A death while the crops are ripe and the harvest is being gathered entails a day's na called 'neo-sit-na. No fieldwork is done, nor work in ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection dreams notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection To dream of eating sugar or anything similar means the dreamer will have a cold in the head. To dream of being bitten by a snake or leech means the dreamer will suffer some injury. To ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Khangnam stones at Khangnam notes Khangnam 1946-01-11:1946-01-11 Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection A newly-erected line of stones near Khangnam, seen about 11.1.46; had two stones with smaller stones in front of them; these ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection charms and medicines notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Kapeo. For sprains, strains and aches the leaves of this bush, which is grown near most villages, are soaked in hot water and applied not to the spot, as a fomentation (..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection omens notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection The croaking of a certain small frog in a house is a sign that the house will soon be empty and is particularly unlucky if anyone in the house be ill, as it presages death. Vultures ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection beliefs with regard to animals - barking deer; Kamaileng - myth notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection The barking deer's blood and bite are both said to be bad. To account for the latter the following is told: Kamaileng had a ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection plant lore notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection The wild fig-tree (v. story of Kangiena) is said to be the "priest of the trees". The old men say it is not safe to eat too many of its fruits or to eat them too often, because ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection proverbs and sayings notes Graham Bower Ursula 1937-01-01:1946-12-31 private collection Thak-ga-mina thakteone paigamina paikivubane. Rice-not-child rice-to-eat wishes cloth-not-child cloth-good- one-wear-wishes The poor man's child has an appetite, the ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:12

1936-01-01:1936-12-31 1937-01-01:1937-12-31 Frontier Tribes Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs Nagas reports 1936-01-01:1936-12-31 1937-01-01:1937-12-31 7. The Rangpang, Tikok and Moklum Nagas continued the even tenor of their ways. There was a recrudescence of rail thefts from ..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:17

Dikeo 1936-01-01:1936-12-31 1937-01-01:1937-12-31 Pangsha Lakema Noko (Nokhu) Sanglao Totok Chi (Chui) Phesami Kesu Frontier Tribes Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs Naga Hills reports Dikeo Kacha Sema Yimtsungrr Konyak Pangsha Lakema Noko (Nokhu) Sanglao Totok Chi (Chui) Phesami..
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:17

1937-01-01:1937-12-31 1938-01-01:1938-12-31 Noko (Nakhu) Pesu Longmatrarre Frontier Tribes Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs Nagas reports Noko (Nakhu) Pesu Longmatrarre 1937-01-01:1937-12-31 1938-01-01:1938-12-31 9. The Sarkari Nagas in the Lakhimpur Frontier Tract behaved well...
Last modification on 02 Nov 2011 at 16:08:17