Konyak – The Head Hunters of the North East
They are one of the most amazing and cheerful tribes of India. Known as head hunters of North East, they celebrate their valor and vigor. They were said to be the war loving tribe, who often attacked the nearby villages and hunting the heads of the opponents as trophies to hang in the Morong (a communal house). The number of heads indicated the power of a warrior and the tribe and becomes a collective totem.
History:
Konyaks come from the family of Sino-Tibetan division of people. The Konyaks can be found in Myanmar, in the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal, and also in the Mon district of Nagaland, India. They are known in Arunachal as Wancho Konyak.
Culture:
Except their head-hunting antics, Konyak tribal members maintain a very disciplined community life. They have strict duties and responsibilities for every individual.
Festival: The Konyak’s festival “Aoleang” falls in the month of April. This is the biggest festival for the Konyak. They wear their traditional attire and sing folk song to celebrate the Aoleang festival. They also participate in other festivals which involves other communities and tribes.
Language:
They speak in Konyak language which belongs to the Northern Naga tribals. It’s a sub branch of the Sal subfamily of Sino-Tibetan language.