Nagaland is one of the most raw and beautiful states of India. This state has many hidden stories to tell and one of them is the story of the head hunters. Nagaland is famous for the practices of head hunting and getting inked (tattoo) which was linked to their tradition and culture. The two practices were closely related to each other. The practice of headhunting was banned in the 1940s . These tattoos were the marks of recognition in their society. Today's generation has given away the tradition of getting inked and most of these head hunting Naga tribes have adopted Christianity.
You will be surprised to know that India is the country having the most diverse tattoo tradition in the world. However, in this blog post I will only be talking about the head hunting practice of the Nagas and the significance of the tattoos on their body.
The head hunting tribes such as the Konyak and the Wancho tribes used to attack their enemies by hunting down their heads by a sharp weapon. These heads were brought home and collected by the people of the tribes. They believed that the soul of a person resides in the head and bringing the head of the enemy, to the village, brings extra energy to the people. These warriors were worshipped like a god in the society and these head hunters had the privilege of getting not only their face but also their chest, neck and back tattooed. The warrior having the most number tattoos was recognized as the ultimate warrior and gained enormous respect from the people.
The practice of decorating the house with the heads of animals and humans became popular among the head hunters. Once the head was taken down, it was brought to the village and kept in the boiling water for some time and then kept for drying. These heads were seen as trophies by the people.
Different marks symbolized different achievements of the warrior example, for a man who has hunted a tiger will have a different tattoo and for hunting a human head one used to get a different mark inked.
Women had different rules of getting tattooed. The tattoos were made once they hit puberty and another after they got married.
Although this practiced was banned by the British government long ago, but it is believed that the practice is still continued by these head hunting tribes.
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- The Roving Feet
