Where Warriors Waltz: Festivals of Nagaland

Nagaland–the most vibrant of eight Northeast Indian states, is home to 16 hospitable tribes and other sub-tribes, each distinctively different from the other in terms of tradition, customary practices, language and attire. But all bound by a unique identity–Naga. Although Christianity is the predominant religion here, yet each tribe of Nagaland annually celebrates its respective traditional festival connected one way or the other with sowing, post-sowing or harvesting. The roots of these festivals go back to the ancient times when isolated villages on unforgiving hill-tops existed as independent city-states and head-hunting others from hostile villages around was order of the day. When maintaining discipline and balance within the self-contained society was a chief’s full time job. Imagine the animistic Naga forefathers diligently and fearfully worshiping the mysterious spirits. Imagine the wonder of their efforts to live in complete harmony with nature, which played a very integral part in the destiny of their routine lives. Those where the times that gave birth to a lot many rituals, sacrifices, merry making and war dances–practices that eventually galvanized into festivals. This book is aimed as a show-window to help the world beyond get a glimpse of Nagaland’s festivals, and the simple philosophies of life they convey in the most vibrant manner.