Nyemwang Wanghu, believed to be one of the last tattooed elders of the Konyak Naga community at the 26th Hornbill Festival in Nagaland. (Morung Photo)
Meribeni T Kikon
Kisama | December 5
Nyemwang Wanghu, believed to be one of the last tattooed elders of the Konyak Naga community who practiced the now-abandoned tradition of ‘headhunting,’ made a rare and poignant public appearance at a major cultural festival in North East India.
Now in his 90s, Wanghu travelled a considerable distance from his remote village in Mon District to attend the 26th Hornbill Festival in Nagaland state. For the first time, he entered the Konyak Morung at the Kisama heritage site, his distinctive facial tattoos drawing respectful attention from visitors.
“I am happy to be here, meeting everyone like one Naga family,” Wanghu told The Morung Express through a translator. His tattoos, once earned through acts of warfare, now serve as a stark visual record of a bygone era.
Wanghu, who has participated in various Naga community talks and addressed gatherings over the years, expressed gratitude for the chance to be among thousands of attendees from diverse cultural groups. He described that the experience gave him a “deep sense of unity.”
Reflecting on a lifetime of immense change, the elder spoke of the community’s transition from the headhunting era to the present. “Society has moved forward with wisdom, learning and openness,” he said. “Many things have changed, many things have modernised, and that is good for our younger generation.”
Once known as fierce warriors in the Naga Hills along the India-Myanmar border, the Konyak Naga abandoned headhunting decades ago. Wanghu represents a fading generation that carries the physical symbols of that past.
He expressed pride in seeing the younger community members explore opportunities far beyond what was available in his time. Their journeys, he said, give him hope that the community will “continue to grow, learn and thrive.”
The Hornbill Festival, established in 2000, is an annual state-sponsored event designed to showcase the cultures of Nagaland’s various tribes and promote tourism. Wanghu’s presence this year provided a living connection to a history that is rapidly receding from memory.
