List of Naga ethnic groups
Naga is an umbrella term for several indigenous communities in Northeast India and Upper Burma. The word Naga originated as an exonym. Today, it covers a number of ethnic groups that reside in the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and also in Myanmar.
Before the arrival of the British, the term "Naga" was used in Assam to refer to certain isolated ethnic groups. The British adopted this term for a number of ethnic groups in the surrounding area, based on loose linguistic and cultural associations. Nagaland became the 16th state on 1 December 1965. S. R. Tohring (2010) lists 66 Naga ethnic groups[1] whereas Kibangwar Jamir (2016) lists 67 ethnic groups.[2] The 1991 Census of India listed 35 Naga groups as Scheduled Tribes: 17 in Nagaland, 15 in Manipur and 3 in Arunachal Pradesh.[3]
List of Naga ethnic groups
[edit]| Ethnic group | Country | Recognized as Scheduled Tribe by India in | Population [4][5][6][7] | Reference for classification as Naga | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anāl | India, Myanmar | Manipur | 72,509 | S.R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Angami | India | Nagaland | 141,732 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Ao | India | Nagaland | 226,625 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chakhesang | India | Nagaland | 154,874 | ||
| Chang | India | Nagaland | 64,226 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chirr | India | Nagaland | 138 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chiru | India | Manipur | 8,599 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Chothe | India | Manipur | 3,585 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Inpui | India | Manipur | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | ||
| Kharam (also Purum) | India | Manipur | 1,145 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Khiamniungan | Myanmar, India | Nagaland | 61,647 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also known as Nokow (Noko) in Myanmar. |
| Konyak | Myanmar, India | Nagaland | 205,458 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Lamkang | India | Manipur | 7,770 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Lainong | Myanmar | Sagaing | 22,617 | Anui Sainyiu, 2002; S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also known as Htangngan |
| Liangmai | India | Nagaland, Manipur | Part of Zeliangrong | ||
| Lotha | India | Nagaland | 173,111 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Makury (sometimes spelt Makuri) | Myanmar, India | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Considered part of Yimkhiung in Nagaland, India | ||
| Mao (also Ememei) | India | Manipur | 19,0000 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Khrasi[8] |
| Maram | India | Manipur | 27,524 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Maring | India | Manipur | 26,424 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Monsang | India | Manipur | 2,427 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Moyon | Myanmar, India | Manipur | 2,516 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Moyon Naga.[9][10][11] |
| Nocte (or Nokte) | India | Arunachal Pradesh | 34,664 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Part of Tangshang Naga. |
| Para | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |||
| Phom | India | Nagaland | 52,682 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Pochury | India | Nagaland | 21,948 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Poumai | India | Nagaland,
Manipur |
127,381 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Rengma | India | Assam, Nagaland | 62,951 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Rongmei | India | Assam, Manipur | 170,800 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Part of Zeliangrong |
| Sangtam | India | Nagaland | 74,994 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Sümi (or Sema) | India | Nagaland | 236,313 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Tangkhul | India, Myanmar | Manipur | 178,568 | ||
| Tangsa (or Tase in language coding name) | India, Myanmar | Arunachal Pradesh | 15,295 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Known as Tangshang in Myanmar |
| Tarao | India | Manipur | 1,066 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Thangal | India | Manipur | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | ||
| Tikhir | India | Nagaland | 7,537 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Tutsa | India | Arunachal Pradesh | Robin Tribhuwan, 2005[12] | It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga. | |
| Wancho | India | Arunachal Pradesh | 56,886 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga. |
| Yimkhiung | Myanmar, India | Nagaland | 66,972 | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | |
| Zeme | India | Nagaland, Assam & Manipur | 74,877 | S.R.Tohring | Part of Zeliangrong Community |
-
Angami women -
Ao woman in traditional attire -
A Konyak chief in his traditional outfit -
Liangmai youths performing folk dance during Road Show in Peren, Nagaland -
A Pochury woman on a book cover -
A diorama and wax figures of Nocte people in a museum -
Glory Day celebration of the Poumai Naga -
Tangkhul girl in a modern adaptation of the traditional dress -
A diorama and wax figures of Tangsa people in a museum -
A diorama and wax figures of the Wancho people in a museum -
Yimkhiung girl at the Kutur village morung -
Rongmeis of Manipur during Gaan-Ngai 2014 at Keikhu, Kabui Village
Naga ethnic groups with limited recognition
[edit]| Ethnic group | Country | State | Reference for classification as Naga | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khoibu | India | Manipur | Romesh Singh, 2006[13] | Also considered as a clan of Maring |
| Heimi Naga (also Haimi) | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Limited scope of former name of Tangshang | |
| Pangmi Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Limited scope of former name of Tangshang | |
| Muklom Naga | India | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Clan of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga | |
| Rangpang Naga | India | Arunachal Pradesh | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Limited scope of former name of Tangshang |
| Ollo Naga (Lazu) | India | Arunachal Pradesh | Also considered as a clan of Nocte | |
| Koka Naga (Goga) | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | sometimes considered as a clan of Somra Tangkhul | |
| Longphuri Naga | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also considered as a clan of Makury | |
| Makyam Naga (Paung Nyuan) | Myanmar | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also considered as a clan of Khiamniungan Naga | |
| Tikhak Naga | India, Myanmar | Arunachal Pradesh | S. R. Tohring, 2010 | Also considered as a clan of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga |
Composite ethnic groups or communities
[edit]Pakan
[edit]Anāl, Maring, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Khoibu
Tangshang
[edit]A combination term, Tang from Tangnyu Vang (Wang) and Shang from Shangnyu Vang (Wang) chieftains, which were formerly known as and includes Heimi (Haimi), Pangmi, Rangpang, Tangsa, Wancho, Nocte, and Tutsa now.
Tenyimi
[edit]Angami, Chakhesang, Inpui, Mao, Maram, Pochury, Poumai, Rengma, Thangal, Zeliangrong and Northern villages of Jessami, Soraphung and Chingjaroi (Swemi) in Ukhrul district.[14]
Angami: Chakhro Angami, Northern Angami, Southern Angami, Western Angami
Chakhesang: Chokri, Khezha and formerly Pochury (Southern Sangtam) combined[8]
Shepfomei or Shepoumai (Mao–Poumai): Ememei, Lepaona, Chiliivai and Paomata together[8]
Zeliangrong: Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei
Northern Ukhrul: Villages of Jessami, Soraphung (Krowemi) , Chingjaroi (Asinei) In Northern Ukhrul District
References
[edit]- ^ S. R. Tohring (2010). Violence and identity in North-east India: Naga-Kuki conflict. Mittal Publications. pp. xv–xvii. ISBN 978-81-8324-344-5.
- ^ Jamir, Kibangwar. The Nagas with the three great nations (1st ed.). Dimapur, Nagaland.
- ^ U. A. Shimray (2007). Naga population and integration movement. Mittal Publications. pp. 25–33. ISBN 978-81-8324-181-6.
- ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Nagaland". Census India.
- ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Manipur". Census India.
- ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Arunachal". Census India.
- ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Assam". Census India.
- ^ a b c William Nepuni (2010). Socio-cultural history of Shüpfomei Naga tribe. Mittal Publications. pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-81-8324-307-0.
- ^ Sipra Sen (1992). Tribes and Castes of Manipur: Description and Select Bibliography. Mittal Publications. p. 58. ISBN 978-81-7099-310-0.
- ^ Folk tales of Moyon-Monsang. Directorate for Development of Tribals and Backward Classes, Manipur. 1982. p. 1.
- ^ G. K. Ghosh; Shukla Ghosh (1997). Women of Manipur. APH. p. 54. ISBN 9788170248972.
- ^ Robin D. Tribhuwan (1 January 2005). Tribal Housing Issues. Discovery Publishing House. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-81-7141-917-3. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
- ^ M. Romesh Singh (1 January 2006). Tribal Development in 21st Century: An Experience from Manipur. Mittal Publications. p. 60. ISBN 978-81-8324-150-2. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
- ^ "Tenyimi Day message from TPO president". The India Post. 22 February 2012.
- ^ G. K. Ghosh; Shukla Ghosh (1997). Women of Manipur (illustrated ed.). APH Publishing. p. 4. ISBN 978-81-7024-897-2.