270 
NAGA CAMPAIGN, 1879-80. 
Notes on Nagas. 
Nagas are a powerfully-built clean-limbed race, of a slightly 
Mongolian type of countenance. They appear to be adepts at all arts 
of deception. They live in substantially-built houses, and their system 
of watering their terraced cultivation cannot but create feelings of 
respect for their capabilities, and why otherwise they should be such 
utter savages seems extraordinary. 
Each village is independent, its inhabitants generally wearing a 
cloth of different colors to distinguish its men from the others. No 
man is above his fellow, and a purer form of democracy than their 
government could not be conceived. 
The villages are almost without exception situated at the top of steep 
hills, and are surrounded by escarpments, narrow deep lanes closed by 
doors being the only entrance into them. 
Their habits are dirty to a degree, and as every village is nearly 
sure to be at war with some other, their large herds of cattle, together 
with droves of pigs, have to be collected in the village every night. 
The food they use is mostly rice, but on great occasions eat cows, dogs, 
rats, and vermin. They do not use much water for drinking purposes, 
for each individual carries a huge gourd of zoo, a fermented liquor 
made of a species of millet; in taste it is like a very inferior claret. 
A Naga’s (though by no means as a rule a plucky individual) sole 
idea appears to be the collection of the heads of his enemies. On the 
completion of a successful raid, the heads are brought in, and a dance 
in full war costume takes place round them. The dance is a most 
complicated species of lancers, in which everyone knows his part, 
accompanied by a low monotonous chant, broken occasionally by 
hideous screams and barkings like a dog. Warriors spring about 
with great agility, brandishing their gun or spears, and waving their 
tiger or bearskin shields. For dress they wear a black cloth kilt, on 
which they sew a line of cowries, up to four rows, for every man, 
woman, or child they kill. In cold weather a cloth, something like a 
Roman toga, is worn. The upper part of their ears is furnished with 
lumps of cotton wool, whilst from the lobe depend ear-rings of human 
hair dyed crimson, and fastened by the tusk of a wild boar. 
The Eastern Angamis also wear scarlet basket-work leggings, which 
are made on the leg. Each man’s great idea is to possess a gun, and 
the number of them in the country is very considerable. 
The dress of the women differs but slightly. Those that are unmarried 
are compelled to keep their heads shaved; they do most of the hard work. 
In their own country Nagas are the perfection of skirmishers, and 
the heavily accoutred Goorkas are no match for them except that what¬ 
ever their loss may be they go on till they drive them back. 
The warriors have a species of Victoria Cross, given to very success¬ 
ful murderers. It consists of a 6-in. square of boarding, covered with 
cowries, and surrounded by human hair, hung round the neck by a 
cowried belt, with a hair fringe. One of our allies, a small quiet- 
spoken man, was credited with the death of 70 of his neighbours. 
Rawul Pindi, 
June, 1880. 
