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Each community has a past and legend. Though it may seem untrue, legends and myths often bring communities together and give sanctity to beginnings. The indigenous communities of India have been here for a long time, whose stories and culture are nothing short of magical and intriguing. And the Angami Tribe has legends, cultures, and traditions waiting to be explored.
Story of the Angami Tribe
Did you know that there are 705 tribes in India? Sounds unbelievable, doesn't it? While the number does seem inflated, it's not a made-up figure.
The Angami tribe of Nagaland is one of the 705 tribes in India. According to one legend, they trace their ancestry to a mythical figure known as Koza. The story takes place in the Khezakenoma village where the legendary stories exist. It is believed that Koza dried paddy on this mystic stone that doubled anything placed on it. Naturally, Koza and his family prospered. Things were going well till one day Koza and his wife saw their three sons fighting over the stone. Aware of the reason for their enmity, the couple decided to destroy the stone.
They performed a ritual where they broke an egg on the stone while lighting it on fire using a thatch. The stone cracked, and the spirit was set free. The three brothers realized that their greed destroyed everything and repented profusely. They decided to end the fight and establish peaceful relations. The brothers went their ways and founded the Angami, Sumi, and Lotha tribes, respectively.
The Angami tribe identified the Khezakenoma as the first village and their ancestry to this place.
The Angamis are a Naga ethnic group. Although they are native to Nagaland and predominantly settled in the districts of Kohima, Chumoukedima, and Dimapur, they are also found in Manipur. They are further divided into four regions; the Chakhro, Northern, Southern, and Western Angamis. There is another group, the Chakhesangs, previously known as Eastern Angamis.
Like most hill people, the Angamis are also agriculturists known for their terraced wet rice cultivation. Surprisingly, unlike many hill people, the Angamis have very little reliance on the slash and burn method of cultivation.
Due to the hilly terrain, the people of this tribe live in a one-storey structure where they store their rice baskets and vats of liquor. The houses are laid out irregularly and separated by an open space that often acts as a meeting area.
Also, the social hierarchies aren't dominant here. As most tribal people have an egalitarian community, the property is owned equally by men and women. Although most of the people in this tribe are Christians, the remaining are Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, or Pfutsana.
Interestingly, even though rice is intensively grown in Nagaland, not many people can afford to eat it daily. The Angami diet consists of maize and millets. Rice is only consumed by the wealthy. Hence, people grow various other crops and exchange them for rice. The barter system works well for them.
While their diet consists of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, some important delicacies are galho (rice eaten with potato, wild leaves, garlic, tomatoes, fermented soybean, salt, and dry fish or just rice and meat with some garlic and salt),
Like all indigenous people, the Angami are proud of their culture. Their attire is their identity. The vibrant colours and the different designs of the shawls are unique to each tribe. The shawls worn by men are known as Mhoushu and the black Lohe, while women wear the famous Mechala shawls that are wrapped around like skirts.
An important festival that is often called the 'marker of the Angami identity' is the Sekrenyi or Phousani, and is celebrated towards the end of February to mark the beginning of the Lunar calendar. The festival aims to revive unity and wash all sins. After the end of the ten-day celebrations, people get back to work, and life goes on with the blessings invoked during the festival.
Although all Angamis celebrate Skrenyi, those who converted to Christianity do not participate in the rituals. Nevertheless, the traditions aren't entirely lost, and those who celebrate the festival do so with great pomp.
The Angamis have their myths and legends and many traditions that enrich the country's heritage and culture. A close-knit community with honour and age-old practices, the story of the Angamis reverberates through the hills of Nagaland.
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