The very simple answer is " The Wooden Platters and Head Strapers". A legend goes on to say that a family comes out of the 'trough'. They were called the Naga family. History says the Naga family came from southern China of Yunnam province enrouted to the adjoining island world routed back to
Chiangmei and then moved to upper Myanmar and settled at Samsok after crossing Chingwin
river, later settled at Makhel and spread to the present habitats. This family group is
known as the "NAGAs". The Nagas are
a mongolian racial group. They are generally well built, tall, slim, reddish in
complexion. But the physical features cannot describe or tell us in detail who are the
Nagas unless you know them by it's moral character, belief and culture. The trees are known by it's fruit so are the Nagas, they are
also known by their culture, social system, way of life and high moral character. The
Nagas are a distinct and one of the finest race. They are simple, sincere, honest,
industrious, humorous, cheerful, courteous, straight forward, truthful. they are free and
open society. No family pays tax to other, no
landlord harass the labours, no tenant pays rent. Theft, murder, cheating are unknown.
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Nagas are a very peculiar and special people. They
are very much social animal. They have a well organised society. Society is above
everything. Every names of hills, river, mountain, ridges, village and persons have a
significant meaning. Names are indicative of one's social position. The poor man cannot
give his son or daughter the name of rich or war for the fear of the society. The names of
the children are given according to the performance of the parents and it's ancestors.
Thus the Nagas are not known by physical feature alone but by his custom, tradition, moral
character and way of life.
The people
whom we called the Nagas are the people living in the present Nagaland state, the Naga
hills of Manipur, in the north Cachar, Mikir hills, Lakhimpur, Nowgong and Sibsagar
districts of Assam, in the north-east of Arunachal Pradesh, in the Somra tract and its
contiguos parts of Myanmar. The Nagas are a
distinct people and a separate entity in every sense - racially, culturally,
linguistically, religious and historically. They are different shape and colour from
Indian. The Nagas has altogether 77 different tribes, of which 16 tribes in Nagaland
State, 12 tribes in southern Nagaland (Manipur), one tribe in Assam, 27 tribes in Eastern
Nagaland (Myanmar), and 21 tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.
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