Konyak Naga

The Konyaks are a major Naga ethnic group native to the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. They inhabit the Mon District, which is also known as The Land of the Anghs. The Anghs/Wangs are their traditional chiefs whom they hold in high esteem. Facial tattoos were earned for taking an enemy's head. Other unique traditional practices that set the Konyaks apart are: gunsmithing, iron-smelting, brass-works, and gunpowder-making. Villagers of a village were asked to urinate in one particular place for months and then another place was shown to them. As you know urine has potassium nitrate and sulphur. They take the soil that the villagers urinate and boil it in water. A black residue floats on top of the boiling water. They collec and dry it by mixing charcoal, and this is gunpowder. They are also known for making excellent Yanglaü (machetes) and wooden sculptures. The Konyaks are the largest of the Naga ethnic groups. They are found in Tirap, Longding, and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh; Sibsagar District of Assam; and in Naga Self-Administered Zone of Myanmar. They are known in Arunachal Pradesh as the Wanchos ('Wancho' is a synonymous term for 'Konyak'). Ethnically, culturally, and linguistically the Nocte and Tangsa of the same neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh, are also closely related to the Konyaks. The Konyaks were the last among the Naga ethnic groups to accept Christianity. In the past, they were infamous for attacking nearby villages, often resulting in killings and decapitation of the heads of opposing warriors. The decapitated heads were taken as trophies and usually hung in the 'baan' (a communal house). The number of hunted heads indicated the power of a warrior. The headhunting expeditions were often driven by certain beliefs, such as code of honour and principles of loyalty and sacrifice. The ethnic members maintain a very disciplined community life with strict adherence to duties and responsibilities assigned to each of them.