Pictures from wonderful Nagaland of India and some tourist information

A Naga people During Hornbill festival-2011

My Ist time Visit to this Wornderland [NAGALAND], Was Quite impressive,Whenever I'd went to Mizoram for Taken participate as a participant in YHAI's MZNTCE-11 Program, During my return Trip I'd tried to attempt at least Once for a 3day Break trip journey before reached to my Home town Chatrapur[Odisha].

 

Truelly this One an amazing land On the North east region of Indian Peninsula. It is a mountainous country with a tropical climate, when in the summer a man is cooked in his own juices and fans in the rooms do not stop. In winter, you can finally enjoy a bearable temperature. We were there at the turn of December and January – during the day we were running around in T-shirts and flip- flops, but in the evening, at night and the next morning we had to put on a lot of clothes.
Temperatures occasionally dropped to 4 ˚ C, what in the houses made out of bamboo walls without any central heating is not at all funny. Humidity is extreme – your washing dries even for 3 days long.

Nagaland is inhabited by just over 1 million people who fall into the 16 different tribes. (Senti is the Ao tribe and speak the ao language) Each tribe has its own language and its own culture. A common language of Nagaland  is called “nagamis” – a mixture of all language, but which exists only in oral form. This country has a very rich history and traditions. Every year, in early December it is organized a “Hornbill Festival”. It takes several days and it is an exhibition of the beauty of Nagaland – it has representation from all tribes presenting their traditional dances, songs, crafts and handwork… This festival use to take a place in a village near the capital of Nagaland (Kohima). This village is adapted just for this event – there is an amphitheatre for all sort of performances, as well as demonstrations of traditional houses. (The tribes differ from each other not only by language, but also by a way of dressing, building houses, etc.). Fascinating for me was just a weaving craft – Nagaland boasts a diverse number of materials of all colours and patterns (dominated black, red, white and blue colour). Again – depends on the tribe, status in society, gender etc, who has the right to wear what type of clothing and accessories (beads, headbands …). Nowadays people dress as we “in the west”. (Cheap second – hand clothes from Europe probably came here right after Christianity.) Hornbill Festival is a world famous event where tourists come from all over Asia, as well as the rest of the world. Name of the festival is derived from the national animal and therefore a symbol of Nagaland, which is the hornbill bird. We missed this amazing event … it was not possible for us to travel earlier, but when we visited Kohima, we stopped in the village and could at least admire the traditional houses with their specific architecture.

The people speak English quite easily – especially the younger generation speaks English well.

        Originally Naga people were animists – it is a religion, where the people worship objects and forces of nature. Nagas believed in the power of stones, so they used to do the sacrifices and they worshiped the stones. It was a fighting nation, known as the “head -hunters”. After each battle the warriors used to collect as a trophy the skulls of the enemy. (Where it was believed that when a warrior separated the head from the body, he automatically receives the power of his enemy. If it does so many times, he should achieve immortality.) I heard, that even in the present, it is possible to find real human skulls of the past times in some villages.

The early Christians (led by a missionary Dr. Clark) visited the area in the 19th century. Other Christians came later on with the British colonizers. Great Revival occurred after the war, in the 50′s. These days, more than 98% of the population called themselves Christians and the most numerous is the Baptist Church.

“And of Saul became Paul” – came to my mind when I think of Nagaland. Why this country? Why God sent missionaries among such a savage nation? And how is it possible that those missionaries survived? How is it possible that the barbarians turned away from paganism and idolatry and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ? (in a relatively short period of time). When you look at a world map and find Nagaland, one fact hits you in the eye. Tiny, tiny nation surrounded by giants such as India, China, Pakistan, Burma … Shining between them as a candle flame in a dark room … Nagaland – the only Christian country in all of Asia! The only Christian country in the 40/10 window … Tiny little light in the darkness … Surrounded on all sides by spiritual strongholds of communism (China), Hinduism (India), Islam (India, Pakistan), Buddhism (stand out of the country) … I’ll tell you one thing – God has a great plan with this small nation! The fighting spirit of Nagas will one day fight for our Savior and will win souls for Him to achieve their immortality (eternal life in His Kingdom). Pray therefore for Nagaland! Christianity is slowly but surely becoming a tradition, a nice custom, Sunday activity, institution … (Slovaks, so familiar for us, right?) Missionary work is behind the scenes, its focus is more on building beautiful churches and investing into bricks and not into the lives of those who do not know Jesus yet (Well known for Slovak church as well…). Please pray for Nagaland! God has with it a huge plan and the evil one is surely not happy with that!

Here are a few scriptures, which we had the opportunity to share while we were invited to preach in the church in some places in Nagaland. May it be an encouragement for you too! 

 In general, Nagaland is a land where…

… everything is made out of bamboo  - walls, houses, cooking containers, jars, baskets, chairs, fences, plates, clothes pegs, scaffolding while building …

… they add into each food chili! Even potato chips or other “snacks” are flavoured with chili.

… the people eat rice and meat two times a day. There are also many different types of rice (small, long, sticky, pink, black …).

… they eat A LOT of pork!

… perhaps every man has a “home – made” tattoo on the arm, forearm, knuckles of fingers or wrists.

… every disease or problem must give up under the perfect massage ! And everyone can give you a nice massage there!

… as one coming from Europe you will be a real giant among the Nagas. (And therefore don´t plan to get some shoes for you there).

… already small kids use to “crack” their bones (fingers, neck, backbone…) just to stay “flexible”

… everything is done in the “squat” with the whole foot on the ground and a person is perfectly balanced. People can be in a squat for a very long time.

… one and the same word can have many different meanings – depending on the intonation (which people with no musical ear – like me – are not able to discern, respectively hear even. And so it happens that while you’re trying to talk about someone else’s mother, people understand that you are talking about cooked meat…).

some men use to chew a mixture of a leaf, some nut and some white powder. Full in the mouth it turns red colour. It is then gradually spitted out, so anywhere in the town can be found on the ground red spittle. The effect on the body is about as nicotine has, so while we have “smokers” in our country, they have “chewers” in their country. Get to recognize them, see red colour on their teeth, tongue and lips which is already permanent. And they constantly chew…

A Local Naga Magician With Some Human skulls,.. Near Jhunebuto,Nagaland.

Naga's Near Fire on early Morning at Kohima, Before Hornbill festival-11

Veg Vendors at Daily Market.