Nicotine, sipped as pick-me-up, 82
Nightjar, not eaten, 76
Nine, associated with left side, 47, 49, 128, 134;
in Pyotsoja sacrifice, 125
Ningetung, tree, 28
Niro, fish poison, 70, 161 n. 1
Niroyo village, vi, 5;
meaning of name, 21;
water supply, 29;
Potsos’ seed rice, 114;
rain-compelling, 131
Nnung, month, 226
Nose, Angami, Sema, xxii;
people with inverted noses, xxvii n. 1
Nritangpeng, memorial trophy, 22, 159
Numbers, affected by sex, xxv. See Four, Five, Six, Eight, Nine, Ten, Twelve, Sixteen, Twenty-three, Thirty, Sixty, Sixty-four
Nungkamchung village, 181, 187
Nungnung, medicine from bark, 80
Nungying village, 14
Nungyung leaves, in ceremonies, 47, 48
Nvaman, third item in marriage price, 155
Nyok, evil emanation, 118
Nzuiman, second item in marriage price, 155
Oath, taken on tiger’s tooth, 102;
on swearer’s hair, on stolen property, on earth from latrine and grave, on wood of
“apotia” house, on soil of disputed land, 103;
on Deolung, 103, 117;
on broken iron, 187 n. 2;
storm as result of false oath, 103, 104
O’Callaghan, Mr. T. P. M., on Mishmi migration, xvi n. 4
Officials: lay,
Ekyung, Sotsoi, Pangi, q.v.;
religious, 121–126;
Puthi, Yenga, Wokchung, ’Nchuko, Sorhung, q.v.
Oha (luck-stones), described, 166, 167;
luck of village and champo depends on, 25, 166;
stealing of, from old and depositing in new village, 6, 25, 166;
removal and replacement at champo rebuilding, 26, 27;
counting of, in Oyantsoa, 124, 166;
inspected at Pikuchak, 168;
offerings made to, at Liritang, 168;
owner eats pig’s head in Liritang, 55;
associated with erection of monoliths, xxx n. 1, 144, 166
Oil seed (pentsü), cultivation of, 58
Okisityingo, good genius of house, 115;
precautions against escape in Potsokam, 132
Okotso village, vi, 127;
meaning of name, 21;
decay and revival of custom in, xii;
heirloom yanthang, 3;
varieties of rice used in, 56;
tea cultivated, 59;
slave sold to Nankam, 111
Old, man or men, saws elephant tusk, 12;
employed as intermediary to avert ill luck, 44;
may act for Ponyiratsen, 48;
eats sacrificial fowl in Rangsikam, 51;
purifies dogs, 65;
their share in tiger hunt, 66;
eat stomach of sacrificial pig, 129;
performs Epuetha, acts as montsai, 133;
spears mithan in Tsirotsoala, 140;
and takes stomach, 141;
sacrifices chicken, 142;
acts as Hantsen, 148;
marriage ceremonies, 153, 154, 157;
in connection with “apotia” death, 161, 162
[248]
Old people, in Liritang ceremony, 55;
eat fish found in cat-fish, 72;
food tabus less important for, than for young, 74;
various birds and beasts which only—may eat, 75–77;
eat sacrificial meat in Head-taking “genna,” 109
Old woman, red dyeing only done by, 37;
acts as Ponyiratsen, 151;
eats the same food as old men, 77;
attends wife of Stone-dragger, 143;
accompanies bridegroom, 153, 154
Oldest man of “khel,” in dog sacrifice at champo rebuilding, 27, 28;
of house-builders exorcises evil spirits, 34;
in village becomes Puthi, 122 n. 1;
eats Sityingo’s share of deer killed, 65
Omen,
methods of taking:
by dropping chips of reed or twig, xiv, 46, 127;
by fire-stick, xiv;
by breaking eggs, xxxiv n. 3;
by cutting branch of bush, 5;
by cutting throat of cock, 106;
from entrails of cock, 6, 123, 128, 151;
of a chicken, 34, 50, 149;
from excreta of chicken, 50, 149, 151;
by position of fowl’s legs, 151, 152;
by splitting “chunga,” 109, 133, 134, 135;
by increase or decrease of oha, 124;
by increase or decrease of sacrificial meats, 132;
by rolling of an egg, 124, 152, 153;
by watching votive raft, 125;
from insects, 127;
by footmarks in ashes, 130;
by sliding a sickle, 153
occasions of taking:
selecting village site, 5;
founding village, 6;
occupying new house, 34
in Amungkam, 50;
in Rangsikam, 52;
in Rangsitsa, 125;
at Mshe etak, 53;
prior to head hunt, 106;
prior to head-taking “genna,” 109;
at Opya consecration, 123;
at Sirosi ceremony, 127;
at Pikuchak, 128;
of death at Tuku, 130;
in Lantsoa, 148;
in Ponyiratsen’s ceremony, 151, 152, 153
Omen of death, 158;
of long life, 158;
of killing barking deer, 65;
hiccough bad for head hunter, 106
in dreams, 171, 172
Onion (sandhra), charm against evil spirits, 169
Ophthalmia, cure for, 136
Opium, use of, 82
Opya post, 47;
ceremonies connected with, 123;
possible meaning of, 124;
pig speared at, 129;
miniature, set up, 128
Opyachama, traditional site of opya, 123
Ora, grub, 49
Orange (tsampen or khongkeng, bitter;
tsampenyimo, foolish orange), cultivation and trade in, 58, 59
Orchid root (wokoloha, pigs’ luck-stone), 61 n. 1
stalk in ear ornaments, 11, 13;
in leggings, 15
Organization, social,
Angamis, xiv, xx, xxviii, xxxii;
Aos, xxx;
Konyaks, xxxi;
Rengmas, xiv, xxxi;
Chishilimi, xxxii n. 2;
Lhotas, xiv, xxviii, xxxii, 88–93
Orhendhreni;
Orhendhromo, grave of, 117
Orho, seeds sown in Thruven, 47
Ornamentation, of baskets, 43;
of cloths, chequer, 31, 43, 40;
string, 40;
twill, 43;
cross-warp, 43
Ornaments, 11–15;
use of, in soul-calling, 136;
removed from graves at Tuku, 130, 159;
buried with dead, 157;
return of, in case of divorce, 156
Orrülama, hair of “heads,” 107
Orungu leaves waved, 54
Oshangessi, midwife, duties, 145–147
Osoni-woala sacrifice, 140
Oten, month, 226
Othui clan, 88;
origin of, 90;
connected with Ezong and Tsangle, 91;
with Wotsami, 92 n. 1, 185 n. 2;
Puthi of, at Pangti, 167
Otter, as aid to fishing, 73;
eaten by Aos and Changs, not by Lhotas, 75
Otyai-etsoman main marriage price, 155, 156
Owlet not eaten, 76;
tale of, 196
Oyantsoa, village-making ceremony, 47;
description of, 122–125;
in Okotso, xii;
necessary at first founding, 6, 122;
should mingetung lose a branch, 29, 122;
on appointment of new Puthi, 122;
to increase fertility, 122;
offerings made to Tchhüpfu at, 115
Palisade, in tiger hunt, 66
Palm (oko) leaves for thatch, 25, 30
Pan (lamo), cultivation of, 59;
chewing, 82
Pangashari, chant, 27
Pangi, 97
Pangolin, not eaten by young women, 77;
by parents during pregnancy, 144;
beliefs regarding killing of, 144 n. 1
Pangti, village, vi, 21, 23, 90, 120, 137, 138;
views on missionaries, xi;
ambushed Captain Butler, 2;
Kezakenoma stone preserved at, 4, 167;
head of an Ao league, 96;
Sirosi ceremony, 127;
stone-dragging, 141;
Labour Corps song, 205
Panji, in defences, 21, 22;
in approach to field-house, 51;
to impale deer, 52;
in pitfalls, 67;
below tree in which corpse is exposed, 162
basket, 13
Parrot, children of eaters of, will pinch friends, 75
Pathong clan, 88, 89;
sacrifices bull in Etha, 140
Pawsey, Mr. C. R., 143 n. 1
Peal, Mr., xxvii
Pembvo, xiv;
gravestone, 143 n. 1
Pepfüma, Angami linguistic group, xxxi;
numbers in 1921, xxxii;
corresponding Lhota phratry, xxxviii;
legend of origin, xx
Pezoma, Angami linguistic group, xxxi;
numbers in 1921, xxxii;
corresponding Lhota phratry, xxxviii;
legend of origin, xx
Phallic post at Lisü “genna,” xxvi n. 1
Phangdhrap, cloth of Wozütana performer, 10, 138
Phekekrima, Angami village, x
Philippines, suggested connection of Nagas with, xxvi, xxvii, xxix, xxxvii
Phiro, village, 4;
mingetung of, xxxix, 29;
belle of, 106;
use of term Puki, 122 n. 1;
dream-woman, 170 n. 2
Phiyosao, sad result of wild dog diet, 75
Phom tribe, cave-woman as ancestress, xxi;
facial resemblance to Memi and Tengima, xxii n. 1;
Negrito type, xxiii;
monolith, xxix;
sale of slave for slaughter, 110
Phratries, 92;
among Lhotas and Angamis, xiv, xxxii, xxxviii;
names, divisions and origins of Lhota, 87 et seq.
Phukirongti, leaf used as emery paper, 43 [249]
Pig (woko);
also see Boar;
keeping of, 60, 61;
“genna” for birth of, 61;
scavengers, 23;
sacrificed, 49, 50, 51, 54, 55, 120, 129, 131, 140, 142, 149, 159;
killed for feasts, 26, 27, 52, 106, 138, 139, 142;
association with oha, 55;
gall of, medicine, 79;
in marriage ceremonies, 149;
method of measuring, 229
wild (oni or lipung), damage crops, 56;
interbreed with tame, 61;
hunting of, 65, 66, 67
Pigeons (vephu), 63
Pikuchak, agricultural ceremony, 127;
described, 128, 129;
village fence outlined at, 22;
tsoyuta, ceremony at, 148;
oha looked at, 168
Pipe (tsintsanmukukhu, murimukukhu), 81, 82
Pitfalls (soku), 67
Pith (shambuk, shamburi) in Ponyiratsen’sceremony, 151;
in final offering to dead, 160
Piwhema, reputed first home of Angamis, xx
Plainsmen, traditional common origin of Lhotas and, 3
Plantain (echamyuti), 59;
cooking of, 78
leaves as cups, 35, 143;
for Potsos, 114;
strips of, over ears of bride and bridegroom, 151
seed beads (eshe), 12, 13, 43, 44
stem, blackened as offering in soul-calling, 134
Plates, brass (pyabi), wearing of, 14;
in soul-calling, 15
Platform (eno), for ghost, 160
Playfair, Lieut.-Col., xxviii n. 3, xxxiv n. 1, 160 n. 2, 172 n. 2
Poison, not used on arrows, 18;
suicides by, 20, 82;
women’s knowledge of, 82 n. 1;
used in fishing, 70, 71;
for method of use see Fishing.
Polity, village —— in different tribes, xxxiii;
among Lhotas, 96, 97
Polynesians, Turanian origin, xvii
Pomegranate (tsaramtiven), 59
Pongen, Ao clan, xxx;
corresponding clans, xxxi, 92
Pongrr, same as Pongen.
Pontengcho, leaves as medicine, 80
Ponyiratsen (man and wife magicians), qualifications necessary, 151;
duties in marriage ceremonies, 151, 152, 153;
in second sowing ceremony, 48
Ponyiratsentung, tree, 152
Porcupine (liso), hunting of, 66;
stomach of, as medicine, 80;
quills worn in ear, 11
Pork, offered in ceremonies, 6, 48, 49, 50, 128, 134;
distributed to Rangsikam performers, 50;
as aperient, 79;
eating competition, 84
Posts,
of champo (humtse, humtse tachungo),
carved, 25, 26;
skin of “head” attached to, 25, 107;
oha placed at foot of, 25, 166
of house, offerings to, 131, 132
memorial, Y-shaped, erected in place of monoliths, xxix, xxx, 144 n. 1;
similar to Dimapur monoliths, xxix, 144 n. 1;
as spirit of fertility, xxx n. 1, 144 n. 1;
ascribed to Bodo influence, xxxvi, 144 n. 1;
erected by Wa, xxxvi n. 3;
by Lhotas (tsongzü) 144, 184 n. 1
Pot, making of, and tabus connected, 40, 41;
women’s work, 41;
prohibited during an emung, 26
Pot, cooking, varieties of, 36;
abandoned after sacrifice, 6, 50
Potso (gods), 113 et seq.;
many worlds of, 172, 173;
rain and hail due to, 173;
prayers to, 115, 124
Potsokam (“Present to Potso”), ceremony described, 131, 132;
not performed during six days before Lanvung, 52
Potsophü, “Potso’s axes,” i.e. celts, 115
Potsotsitam, seed-case, 115
Poultices, 80
Prayer, 121;
in agricultural ceremonies, of cultivator, 48, 51, 55;
of Puthi, in village founding, 5;
in Mshe etak, 50, 53;
in Rangendri, 129;
in dog purifying, 65;
in sacrifices to Potsos, 115;
by house-master at Potsokam, 131;
by old man, 132;
for Stone-dragger, 143;
of Hantsen, 148;
of Ponyiratsen, 152;
for village (dranda) purport of, 127;
in Puthi installation, 123;
Sirosi, 127;
Pikuchak, 128;
Tsirotsoala, 140;
by Wokchung before Shishang, 139
Pregnancy, tabus during, 77, 144, 145;
during —— woman may not act as escort to bride, 150
Priest (for Lhota priest see Puthi),
among Angamis hereditary, xxxiii;
among Konyaks, combined with chieftainship, xxxiii;
of Ung clan, Changs, xxxiii n. 1
Prohibitions: general;
also see Emung.
No one may—spread clothes on a granary, 23;
watch dyeing of thread, 38;
watch shaping or firing of pots, 41;
sell, kill, touch tiger’s kill, and perform certain “gennas” during six days before
Lanvung, 52;
join Liritang ceremony after its commencement, 54;
sell or kill anything or bring meat from tiger’s kill into village during Tuku, 129
Special prohibitions affecting males, females, strangers, etc. will be found under
appropriate headings.
Property, laws regarding, 97, 98
of deceased abandoned in case of “apotia,” 161
Puchatsuma, clan, xx, xxx n. 1
Puki: see Puthi.
Pun, Lhotas’ love for, 180
Pungkitung, village, 101 n. 1
Punishment, in inter-village dispute, 100;
for murder, adultery, theft, 101;
breaking emung, 101–102
Purification, of hunting dogs, 64, 65;
of those in touch with “apotia,” 160–162
Puthi (S. Lhota Puki), priest, appointment, position, etc., 121–126;
effect of reappointment at Lisio, xii;
selection preliminary to founding a village, 5;
ceremonial spear-shaft, 17, 18;
crossed bamboos on house roof, 34;
must not be of Moyoyanthang clan, 91;
house closed to strangers at Mshe etak, 53;
house in head-taking “genna,” 109;
in Sirosi, 127;
duties in champo rebuilding, 26 et seq.;
in Thruven, 47, 48;
Motharatsen, 49;
Amungkam, 50;
Mshe etak, 53;
Oyantsoa, 123 et seq.;
Opya consecration, 123;
Oha counting, 124;
Pyotsoja, 125;
Rangsitsa, 125;
Sirosi, 127;
Pikuchak, 128;
Rangendri, 129