Head hunting trophies found during Morung construction

Bonnie Konyak
Mon | June 7

In a totally unexpected turn of events, the construction of a Morung (traditional boys’ dormitory) in Wanching village of Mon district, turned up about 40 human skulls, believed to be relic from historic head hunting days. The Panla Pan or Panla Morung of Wanching Village is all set to inaugurate its Morung which was constructed after a gap of 37 years. It was during this dig to set up the memorial stone of the traditional construction that the skulls were unearthed about 20 feet below the surface of the earth.

Village leaders claim that the skulls would be atleast a 100 years old since these skulls remained undiscovered during the previous three constructions of the morung the people recalled. There is no recollection of the burial of the skull or any lore of it passed down through the generations. “Our elders have no idea why or by whom these skulls were buried or who or which village these skulls belonged to” says Longshing Konyak, the Convenor of the Panla Morung construction.

The unscientific and rough digging of the site has destroyed most of the skulls which makes it impossible for the layman to determine how many have actually been found, however the piercing of the back of the skull used for hanging these war trophies with a bamboo vine in the morungs indicates not less than 40 human skulls. It is also anticipated that more of these human skulls may still be buried in the grounds that now lies adorned by the beautiful morung which is to be inaugurated on June 8, 2011 by Minister of Forest & Excise, M. C. Konyak.