Longwa: The Split Village Of India's Last Headhunters

 26°39'44.13"N 95°13'11.54"E

(from Wikimedia Commons )

   Located in Nagaland's lush green hills, Longwa seems an ordinary little village at first sight. However, it actually serves as a popular destination among adventurers due to its position as an opium paradise and its past headhunting culture. But probably the biggest popularity booster here is the fact that the Indian-Burmese border runs right through it. Yet, in the future, this geographic uniqueness could bring big problems to the village.

   Since the beginning of time, the Naga Konyak tribe inhabited the vast region of Nagaland. Without bothering British colonizers, they easily developed their own traditions and beliefs. This ancient folklore includes, among others, a kind of initiation ritual for young men that starts when they have reached twenty years of age: the queen of the village (every settlement has its own leaders) must tattoo the face and chest of the man with a palm tree needle. Throughout their lives, more are added, acknowledging the gradual experience at hunting. But they don't only hunt animals, they mostly hunt humans.

   Every rival from another tribe that gets in their way is killed and his head taken off his body. It's a sign of honor to bring a head to your house and hang it up as if it were Christmas lights, not only you get new tattoos, men can also expand their symbolic necklace. This necklace is decorated with handcrafted little brass heads; one for each victim. Despite this gross and macabre jewelry, the details of the figures are incredibly well done, which explains why the Naga Konyak are renowned for their excellent handcrafting: from hats made out of feathers and bones to traditional spears with iron blades and wooden shafts. Another ornament that is quite common are the goat horns they use as earrings ---genuinely, Naga translates to "people with earrings".

Local tribesman with goat horn earrings, the necklace of brass heads and other ornaments (from Wikimedia Commons) 

   Yet, in the 19th century, this harmony would be disrupted with the arrival of the British. These guys were trying to establish a trade route connecting Assam and Manipur, two Indian states. Coincidentally, the still unexplored Naga influence area laid right between both regions: no expedition returned, while the Konyak Naga had trouble stockpiling the British heads. Soon, the colonizers noticed what the issue was and sent armed troops, nevertheless, the Naga knew the terrain better and the situation didn't change. However, some unknown brainy strategist came up with a solution: instead of clearing the way, they would immobilize the headhunters by drugging them with opium. Somehow, the Brits introduced this substance to the local culture; the number of headhunters was drastically replaced by opium junkies. The later Christianization of the region would completely extinguish this macabre tradition. 

Opium plants (from Pexels) 

    But as usual, the Englishmen created further complications, even if this time it wasn't totally their fault. The point is that a big chunk of Nagaland was claimed by both British India and Burma. These border disputes eventually ended up with the first Anglo-Burmese War, that culminated in the Treaty of Yandabo. Along with other consensus, they agreed on creating a boundary which lowered tensions, surviving until the present (It's true that there were two other Anglo-Burmese Wars, nonetheless, they weren't strictly tied to the border). Still, Nagas opine differently as their homeland was divided into two: some villages stayed under British ---later Indian--- rule and other under Burmese ---later British, and then again Burmese--- rule. But the most ridiculous one was the position of the main village, Longwa, which ended up split between both sides. 

      With exception of a little border marker atop a nearby hill, the border runs invisibly through the hamlet, dividing houses in its way. One prominent example is the king's house, he cooks in Myanmar, present-day Burma, and sleeps in India. Although that's actually a bit odd, because you need a passport to cross borders... Well, Longwa's inhabitants have the unique role of dual nationality, so they can cross from one country to another whenever they want. Quite cool, right? But there's more: the Konyak Naga have strategically divided the village, placing most houses in India and opium plantations in Myanmar, where drug restrictions are less strict. That way, it has become an opium den which visitors can enjoy even if I wouldn't recommend it. Yet, this unusual location has disadvantages as well.

The Angh (Longwa's chief) receives Indian Authorities in his divided house (from Wikimedia Commons ) 

   The Burmese Civil War has led to various immigrants searching shelter in India, and a ethnic conflict in the Indian state of Manipur has escalated the situation even more. Indian Authorities have scrapped the free VISA policy that allowed people to move freely through both countries (in Longwa, you can still cross but under more regulated security checks), and there are future plans of building a wall. That would truly be a nightmare for the grandsons of Longwa's last headhunters.

Sources and Picture Credits:

Sources: Official Website, Footloose Dev, India Today, Broncolor, The Atlantic, Ebrary

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International (Learn more) 

Picture 1: Wikimedia user Sujansarkarphotography 

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 (Learn more )

Picture 2: Wikimedia user Rod Waddington

Government Open Data License – India (Learn more)

Picture 4: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 2017, The Angh (Chief) of Longwa Konyak Naga villages, Shri Amao Taiwang King alongwith his deputies receiving the booklet on the various Flagship Programmes of the Government of India from the Regional Director, PIB Archives– India, 29/07, https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive2/photoright.aspx?phid=111725