THE HEAD HUNTERS

Headhunting used to be at the heart of a Naga society’s fabric. No young man could graduate to adulthood and be eligible to marry a high-status woman without having completed the ritual of headhunting at least once. They believed that the practice was also essential for maintaining the fertility of the crops and the wellbeing of the community. Even the women were not shy of taking up arms. In the olden days, if there was a threat to their clan, the Nagas did not hesitate in picking up a weapon and joining the men in battles to protect their tribe’s honour.

Sheltered from the reaches of modern civilization, the tribe survived many generations. However, today, headhunting is almost unknown. The last major outbreak is reported to have been in 1990. Since then, the forests have largely been cleared, and Nagaland is now known instead for having one of the largest Christian populations in South Asia. The erstwhile skull houses where Naga boys were trained to hunt have been torn down, missionaries have asked them to do away with the hunted, barring a few defiant individuals who have held on to their legacy. Even the practice of wearing colourful beaded jewellery is on a decline.