The Nagas are an ancient people whose forefathers migrated into their present habitat sometimes between 1128 BC- 759 BC. The existence of the Nagas is mentioned by Claudius Ptolemy, the Greek Scholar in his Geographia as naked people in about 150 A.D. Interestingly, the location which Ptolemy described about the naked people has been the exact place in which the present Nagas are living now. The existence of the Nagas were again mentioned by Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveler who spent 15 years in India between A.D. 629-645. This indicates that, the Nagas who inhabit the land of Nagaland have been occupying their land from time immemorial and had lived independently in their self-contained village republics democratically without any socio-political, economic or cultural link with its neighbors or any other nations.
The intrusion of British in the year 1832 in the Naga territory was the beginning of the new history and the birth of nationalism for the Nagas. Prior to that, the first Naga encounter with the foreigners was with the Dimasa Kacharis around 12th century. And the first armed conflict was with Sukhapa, the founder of the Ahom kingdom in Assam, who tried to enter the Naga territory from Burma around 1215 A.D.
The beginning of the 19th century was marked by unprecedented shift in the socio-political history of the Nagas. Kaka D. Iralu in his book “The Naga Saga,” has audaciously stated that “As far as the Nagas under Indian dominion are concerned, Nagaland is not in India, but India is presently in Nagaland by invasion and subjugation.” The history of the Naga conflict lies in the heart of this statement. For the past over a half century, many writers, intellectuals, scholars and the likes has openly argued that Nag are not Indians and they never want to be. This is because of the fact that Nagas has an exclusive history of its origin, migration, distinct culture, laws and customs. It needs a comprehensive study to understand the detail history of the Nagas since there is no much written record and whatever the history is available today is mostly written based on the oral traditions and folklores. For those who mock the Nagas movements for sovereignty apparently shows that he/she is not aware of the Naga history and is ignorant. The Nagas struggle for self-determination cannot be depreciated.
The formation of the Naga Club, formation of the Naga National Council, and the memorandum submitted to the Simon Commission on 10th January 1929, declaration of Naga Independence on 14 August 1947 which was confirmed through National Referendum on May 16, 1951, and the Naga Plebiscite held on May 16, 1951, says it all that Nagas are not Indians. Yes, we are not. We are being forcefully dominated.
It is obvious that Nagas since time immemorial have been living independently until the year when the British intruded the Naga territory followed by the Indians. Various memorandum submitted to the British and Indian government specifies that each Nagas aspire to live freely without being ruled by any foreign powers. Though division, disunity, frequent split and formation of new political groups, the respiteful attitude of the Naga political groups towards each other have depreciated and destroyed the credibility of Naga nationalism. Yet, every political groups, though fragmented, continue to hold on to the demand of Naga sovereignty.
It is an undeniable fact that many of the Naga national workers are tainted, yet, we are certain that there are people who has the true spirit of Nationalism and are ready to fight for the cause of the Nagas till the last man standing. MASSIVE RESPECT TO THEM.
It is to be noted that the Naga People’s Movement is not an underground or insurgency movement, but a movement based on the historical and political rights. The atrocities committed by the Indian armies upon the Nagas during the crucial stage of the Naga national movements cannot be easily forgiven and can never be erased from the minds of the million Nagas.
By: Philip Nyam.
P:S:
To know the more history of the Nagas, one may read the following books:
The Naga Saga- Kaka D. Iralu.
From Phizo to Muivah- A. Lanunungsang
The Naga Resistance Movement- Aosenba
Courtesy: WE THE NAGAS Facebook | 24 April 2017
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THERE ARE 67 NAGA TRIBES
This is the Population list of 40 Major Naga tribes
(population included for sub-tribes with the major tribes).
1. Angami = 452,910
2. Anal = 27,000
3. Ao = 226, 625
4. Chakhesang = 154, 874
5. Chang = 64,226
6. Chirr = 138
7. Chiru = 8599
8. Chothe = 3585
9. Inpui = 10,000
10. Kharam = 1145
11. Khiamniungan = 120,000
12. Lamkang = 7770
13. Lainong (unknown)
14. Liangmai = 60, 000
15. Lotha = 173, 111
16. Konyak = 320,000
17. Makury = 65,000
18. Mao = 97,195
19. Maram = 37,300
20. Maring = 45,000
21. Monsang = 2427
22. Moyon = 2516
23. Nocte = 111,679
24. Para (unknown)
25. Phom = 13,000
26. Pochury = 21,000
27. Poumai =187,180
28. Rengma = 63,000
29. Rongmei =150,000
30. Sangtam = 74, 994
31. Sumi =300, 000
32. Tangkhul = 680,000 (India&Myanmar)
33. Tangsa = 450, 000
34. Tarao = 1006
35. Thangal = 4475
36. Tikhir = 7537
37. Tutsa = 25,000
38. Wancho = 56,866
39. Yimchunger = 74,647
40. Zeme = 130, 000
Total Naga Population worldwide = 7, 000,000 (7 Million Approx).
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