Adoption, rules of, 99, 100;
complicates exogamous system (Aos), xxx.
Adultery, punishment of, by co-clansmen condoned, 101;
oath in trial for, 102
Adze (ophü), 43
After-birth, disposal of, belief regarding, 145, 146
Agriculture, 45–59
Ahoms, immigrants from Southern China, xvii;
cephalic indices, suggest connection with Aos and Manipuris and perhaps sub-Himalayan
tribes, xxiii
Rajas, grant lands to Lhotas, 1
Akas, probably came from direction of Nepal and Tibet, xvi
Akuk, village, claims to have defeated Burmese, 2;
captured by Aos, 21;
Rampham’s yanthang kept in, 16, 187;
scene of episodes in Deolung story, 117;
murder of slave to gain warrior’s honours, 109, 110, 231;
wailing fiends, near, 116;
custom regarding Rangsikam and Lanvung “gennas,” 51;
rain-compelling ceremony in, 131;
rules of khurocho in, 83 n. 1
Alangcharr, Ao clan corresponding to Lhota Nguli, 92
Amungkam, 125;
agricultural ceremony when rice comes into ear, 50
Amungkampen, original site of Amungkam, 50
Ancestress or creatrix of all life (Angamis), xx, xxxiv
Ang, clan of chiefs among Southern Konyaks, xxxi;
probably corresponds to Ung among Changs, xxxiii
Angami, compared with Lhota, xiii;
culture similar to Lhotas, xiv;
story of people with inverted noses, xxvii n. 1;
practise burial, xiv, xxiv;
omen taking, xiv;
spear resembles Igorot, xxvi;
use of bow, xxvii, xxviii;
use tsiri trap, 67;
method of sowing jhums, xxix;
houses built on ground, xxx;
village defences, 21;
resemble those of Wa, xxxvi n. 3;
store grain in their houses, 23;
great size of houses, 30;
skill in carving, 43;
physical type, xxi, 6;
skin colour, xxiii;
legends of origin, xx, xxi;
of southern and mixed origin, xx;
Mr. Hutton’s views on Indonesian connection, xxxvii;
driven north by Lushei-Kuki tribes, xvii;
eject Lhotas from Kohema, 4;
once migratory, xv;
three phratries, xiv;
two linguistic groups, xxxi;
extremely democratic hereditary priests, xxxiii;
believe in ancestress of all, xx, xxxiv;
believe in World of the Dead in the sky, xxxiv;
do not practise lycanthropy, xxxiv;
cleanly, xxxv;
numbers in census, 1921, xxxii n. 1
Animals, domesticated (see Live-stock):
“gennas” for births of, 60, 61, 63
wild, the property of Sityingo, 115;
to meet —— unlucky, 150;
death by —— entails special funeral rites, 160;
horror of death by, 163
Animism, 113
Ao tribe:
traditions of origin, xviii;
Negrito type found among, xxiii;
cephalic index suggests connection with Manipuris, Ahoms, and sub-Himalayan tribes,
xxiii;
use war drum, xxviii;
method of sowing jhum, xxix;
erect memorial posts instead of monoliths, xxix;
build houses on machans, xxx;
armlets resemble Lhotas and Semas, 11, 12;
ceremonial lengta, 14;
dao holder, 16;
use tsiri trap, 67;
place white signs at path clearing, 52;
disposal of dead, xxiv, 162;
language connects with Central and Western Naga groups, xxxv;
exogamy, xxx;
complexion and hair, xxiii, 7 n. 2;
two linguistic groups, xxx;
dual division crossed by triple, xxx;
governed by elders, xxxiii;
beliefs as to soul’s passage to Land of the Dead, 118;
perform scapegoat ceremony, 135;
divination by egg-breaking like Khasis, xxxiv n. 3;
stories of fighting stones, xxxiv n. 3;
husbands unfaithful, 19;
divorce, 156;
heartless treatment of wives, 112;
neglect of parents, 20;
slave-holders, 111;
eat opium, 82;
make wristlets for Lhotas, 12;
rükhusü bands for Lhotas, 10;
trade in leggings, 15;
in ironwork and spear shafts, 17, 42;
morungs, 24;
houses, 30
Apar Tanengs, probably of southern origin, terrace cultivation, xvi n. 4
Apfu = mother, q.v.
Apfuho (S. Lhota Yamphuho), mythical person, ancestor of some Shetri clans, 176;
tales of, 177
Apodia, 232
Apotia, meaning of, 160 n. 3, 232;
great fear of, special funeral rites in case of, 160–162;
dark blue thread given by Potsos an omen of, 114;
oath on wood of house of one who has died, 103;
households in which —— has occurred receive share of catch at fish poisoning, 72.
Appearance of Lhotas described, 6, 7, 8
Apron: see Lengta.
Apungza, Rengma clan, 92
Are village, 127;
goître in, 80
Are Yanthamo village, 21;
box leopard trap at, 68
Armlets (koro), ivory and wood, 12, 44;
wearing of —— sign of superiority, 152;
hung over man’s grave, 158;
bronze as heirlooms, xviii n. 1;
women’s pewter (tiwo), 13;
use in Ponyiratsen’s ceremonies, 152
[234]
Arms: see Weapons.
Arrow (lotsi), 31
Asao thanked for assistance, vi
Ashes, spread in death omen taking at Tuku, 130;
magical disinfectant, 132
Asimi, Sema clan, 90
Assam, evidence of immigration into Naga hills from, xiv, xv;
trade with, 15, 41, 60
Assam Government, monograph due to generosity of, v
Assam, History of, 2 n. 1
Assamese, dealings with Lhotas, 1;
use of canoes learnt from, 158 n. 2;
mentioned in folk-tale, 185–187;
false report of death omen of long life, 158
Austric race: Munda and Mon-Khmêr of, xvii n. 4
Axe, carried by Stone-dragger, 142;
symbolical use of, 143;
-shaped dao, 15;
stone, xxvii n. 2
Azo = mother, q.v.
Baby: see Child.
Baby language, 225
Bachelors sleep in morung, 24;
also see Unmarried.
house, see Morung and Champo.
Baldrick (ritsen), 13
Balfour, Dr. H., “Some Types of Native Hoes, Naga Hills,” 49 n. 1
Bamboo, uses of:
cross-bow, shields, 18;
in building, 23, 26, 30–36;
utensils, 35, 36;
loom, 38;
bellows, 42;
tools, 47;
basket-work, 43;
pipes, 81;
musical instruments, 85;
erections at Lanvung, 52;
funeral ——, 158, 159;
fishing weirs, 72;
traps and rods, 73;
mock spears, 123;
sacrificial knife, 52;
needle (otyam), 40;
for ear-piercing, 146;
as lancet, 80, 81;
pickle (dhrüchong), 78;
for tempering daos, 42;
“heads” hung on, 28, 108;
burnt to scare animals, 52;
twig in ceremonies, 47, 50;
association of ticho —— and Thangwe Eni clan, 90
Bamboo rat, not eaten by ratsen, 165;
story regarding, 183
Bark of tree used as rope, 32;
for nets, 43;
in medicines, 79–81
Barter, 44
Basket, 35;
disposal of, after Rangsikan ceremony, 51;
hung over graves, 158
carrying, in Epuetha ceremony, 132, 133;
in Soul-calling ceremony, 134, 136;
full of rubbish abandoned as cure for fever, 136;
given to bride by bridegroom, 148;
for grain (otyak), 56;
making: men’s work, prohibited to women, materials, and patterns used in, 43
Bat, flesh tonic for children, 80, 147
Battak affinities indicated by hoes, xxxviii
Beads, made from plantain seeds, women’s work, 45, 44;
may convey “apotia” infection, 162;
thrown into spring of new village, 5;
tied to wrist of corpse, 157;
as ornaments, 12, 13
Bear (sivan), hair as warrior’s wig, 13;
flesh not eaten by young women, 77;
by pregnant woman, 144;
hunting of, 65, 66;
protection of maize crop from, 57
Beards, 7
Bed, described, 35;
planks from, placed under corpse in grave, 157
Bees, varieties of, taking of nests, 69
Beetle (Potso-tsiro), medicine for warts, 80
Bellows (yongphophen), 42
Belt for dao-holder (lechapsü), 16;
new, hung up in final offering to dead, 160
Berries (yenkuti, riko, temphak), as medicines, 80
Betel nut, chewing of, 82
palms (mma), 59
Bhois, migratory, xv n. 2;
connected with Semas, xix;
reap by hand, xxviii n. 3
Bigge, Lieut., views on Lhota character, xiii, 2
Bila-an know story of people with inverted noses, xxvii n. 1
Birds, offered to Tchhüpfu, 125;
varieties not eaten, 75
Birds, scaring of, 52, 53;
capturing of, 68, 69
Bird-lime (onyi), 68
Birth, precautions before, 144;
delivery, 145;
subsequent proceedings, 146, 147 “genna,” child’s ears pierced at, 8, 147 “genna” for calves, 60;
for puppies, 63;
for pigs, 61
Black, distinctive colour in tiger-slayer’s ornaments, 12, 17;
of Puthis’ and Wokchungs’ spear-shafts, 17
Blacksmith, trade unlucky, 41, 42
Bleeding, cure for sprain, 81
Blood as food, 78
Blue nuthatch, only eaten by solitary old people, 75
Boar, castrated at two months, ears clipped, 61;
sacrificed in village founding ceremony, 6;
in Amungkam, 50;
in first-fruits to ceremony, 53;
in Rangsitsa, 125;
in Epuetha, 132;
eaten in stone-dragging ceremony, 143;
flesh offered to the Dead, by Dreamer, 171
Bodo race, possible connection with Lhotas, xv;
Karens, xix;
Munda and Mon-Khmêr, xvii n. 4;
immigrants from Nepal or Tibet, xvi, xxxvi
Bone, disposal of (Kalyo-Kengyu), xxv, S. Sangtams, xxiv;
of rhinoceros as fertility charm, 167
Bontok-Igorot: see Igorot.
Borneo, bow seldom used in, xxviii;
see also Kayans.
the Pagan tribes of, 46 n. 1, 222 n. 1
Bow: see also Cross-bow and Pellet-bow.
use of as guide to affinity of tribes, xxvii
Boy, ears pierced, first garment, 8;
may wear clothes his father is entitled to wear, 9 n. 2;
sleeps in champo, from first wearing dao-holder till marriage, 24;
on marriage pays fine to champo, 97;
terms used for, 95;
working parties of boys and girls, 97;
birth customs differ from those of girls, 145–147
Bracelet (rambam), 13
Brahmaputra, possible connection between Lhotas and tribes on north bank of, xv, xxvii n. 3;
tribes on north bank of, belief as to souls of the dead, xxxiv n. 1;
valley of northern boundary of Naga tribes, xvi
Brand, burning, to drive out evil spirits, 133, 134
Bre, Southern, a Karen tribe, possibly connected with Bodo tribes, xix;
reap by hand only, xxviii
[235]
Bride, presents from bridegroom, 148;
in Tsoyuta ceremony, 148, 154;
in Halam ceremony, 149, 150;
in Ponyiratsen’s ceremony, 151, 152;
garment disinfected of evil fortune, 152, 153
Bridegroom, sleeps in mpongki, 31;
presents to bride, share in Tsoyuta ceremony, 148, 153, 154;
works for father-in-law, 87, 148, 153;
share in Halam ceremony, 149, 150;
share in Ponyiratsen’s ceremony, 151, 152
Bridegroom’s relations collect firewood for father-in-law, 149
Bridegroom’s garment disinfected of ill fortune, 152, 153
Bridges, 23
Brodie, Captain, visit to Lhotaland, 2
Broom, in Potsos’ gift omen of damage to crops by wind, 114
Brothers of bride, share in marriage price (otyai-etsoman), 155
Brother and sister, world peopled from, 193, 195
Brown, Dr. G., xvii n. 4
Bruise, cupping for, 81
Buffalo (juzo), slaughter commemorated by Y-shaped posts, by Wa, xxxvi n. 3;
used for food, too stupid for sacrifice, 61;
flesh not eaten by young women, 77
Bulbul, first flesh given to babies, 147
Bull, black, as substitute for mithan, 137;
killed in Wozütana “genna,” 138;
in Shishang “genna.” 138, 139;
formerly beaten to death, 139;
sacrificed by some clans in Etha ceremony, 140;
killed and flesh distributed in stone-dragging, 143
Burial of dead, practised by Angamis, Lhotas, xiv, xxiv;
Semas, Rengmas, Sangtams, Yachungr, Tangkhuls, Kacha Nagas, Kukis, xxiv;
Changs, xxv, 92 n. 1;
northern boundary of tribes which practise, xxxvi;
southern origin suggested, xxxvii;
method and ceremonies of, 157 et seq.;
of infant, of man killed in war, 160;
of those who die “apotia,” 160–162
Buriers (mungpen), duties and perquisites, 157
Burning of dead, by Manipuris and Singphos, xxxiii, xxiv
Butler, Major, “Sketch of Assam,” xxvi;
on human sacrifice, 230
Captain, account of his death, 2;
estimate of Lhota character, 19
Mr. S. G., thanked for photographs, 19
Butterflies, souls of dead pass into, xxxiii, 119 n. 2
Cachar, south-west boundary of Naga tribes, xvi
Calf, birth “genna” and treatment, 60
Calves, of Angamis and Kukis, xxii, 7
Cane, in ornaments, 12, 14;
leggings of, 15;
helmets of, 18, 43;
bridges of, 23;
hedge as defence (Konyak), 21
Canoes, 158;
similarity of coffins to, 157
Carving on champo posts, 25, 26, 43
Cat, 63
Catfish, capture of, 71, 72;
“How men became catfish,” 184
Cattle (mangsü), keeping of, trade in, 60, 61;
joint ownership in “genna” for births, 60;
indigenous breed, 61;
flesh not eaten by dyers, 38;
pot-makers, 41;
cultivator on day of selecting “jhum,” 46;
by household at Rangsikam ceremony, 52
Cave, woman out of, reputed ancestress of clan, xxi
on Wokha hill entrance to Land of the Dead (etchhiku), 22, 119
Celebes, use of bow in, xxviii
Census of India, 1911, xvii n. 4;
1921, xxxii n. 1
Cephalic indices, xxiii
Ceremonial dress, abandonment of, xi;
described, 13;
occasions on which worn, occupation of new village, 6;
champo rebuilding, 27;
Ramo, 109;
“mock fighting,” 110;
Opya ceremonies, 123;
Sirosi, 127;
stone-dragging, 142;
by bridegroom, 150;
corpse buried in, 157
Ceremonies:
public, 127–130;
Mr. Hutton’s views as to value of, xii;
village founding, 5, 6;
village making, 6 (Oyantsoa, q.v.), Morung rebuilding, 26, 28;
Sirosi, 127;
Pikuchak, 128;
Rangendri, 129;
Tuku, 129
connected with agriculture:
on selecting and firing “jhum,” 46;
Thruven, 47, 48;
Motharatsen, 49;
Amungkam, 50;
Rangsikam, 51;
Lanvung, 52;
Mshe-etak (first-fruits), 53;
Liritang (reaping), 54
individual, 131–144;
for welfare of household, Potsokam, 131;
Epuetha, 132;
in illness, 133–136
connected with dogs, head-hunting, social “gennas,” births, deaths, marriages, etc.,
see under appropriate headings.
Chabli, kept as heirlooms, 44
Chakrima, two linguistic groups in, xxxi;
numbers of, xxxii n. 1
Chakroma, no terrace cultivation, xxix
Chalmagra (hmhmti), fruit used to smoke out bees, 69;
as food and rat poison (Konyaks), 69 n. 1;
bark lotion for wounds, 80
Chami, Lhota clan, 88;
origin of, 89;
claims right to sacrifice bull at Etha “genna,” 140;
connected with Chamirr and Yepothomi, 92
Chamimo thanked for help, vi
Chamirr, Ao clan, xxx, xxxi, 92
Champimi, or Champhimi, fighting stones at, xxxiv n. 3, 117 n. 1
Champo, Lhota name for Morung (references under this heading apply to Lhotas only, those
regarding other tribes will be found under Morung). Word possibly of Chang or Konyak
origin, 24 n. 1;
effect of reconstruction on Okotso, xii;
described, 24, 25, 26;
building, a preliminary to new village, 6;
dance at building, 18, 19;
rebuilding, 26, 28;
oha stones kept at, 6, 25, 166;
posts carved, 25, 26, 43;
enemies’ heads brought to, 24, 108;
skin of first head attached to post of, 25, 108;
raids planned in, 24;
warriors gather in, 107;
prisoners of war kept in, 105;
owns land, 26, 97;
boys assemble in, 127;
boys pay fine to, on marriage, 97;
in Pikuchak ceremony, 128;
omen of death taken in, at Tuku, 130;
skull and horns of mithan kept in, 141;
to dream of new, presages deaths, 171
[236]