| Spear
And Dao (Weapons)
The main offensive weapon of the Nagas are the the spear
and the dao. The shape and pattern of both vary from tribe to tribe.
The spear is about six feet long. It is made of some light but strong
wood. Occasionally the complete spear is of iron and this is useful in
hunting big game. The butt of the spear is always tipped with a spike
as it is not expected to be kept leaning against the wall. The Nagas on
the war-path carried two spears each. It was an effective weapon upto
a range of thirty yards. Some spears are made for ceremonial purposes
only; these are decorated with goat's hair on the shaft.
The Dao is a multi-purpose weapon. It is used to
fell trees, cut fowls, divide meat, carve posts and kill enemies - in
fact for any kind of work involving cutting. It is a life long companion
of the Naga. The weapon consists of a blade about twelve inches long,
its breath being more at the tip (about 4 inches) than at the base (about
1 inch). The blade is fitted into a wooden handle which is tightly bound
with cane, the Changs, Semas and Aos decorate their Dao handle with goat's
hair. The Dao is carried in a holder at the back.
The cross-bow is now obsolete. The only defensive weapon
used by the Nagas is a shield which may be of leather or bamboo-matting.
A Naga is deeply attached to his weapon. This psychology
is a legacy of the past when his very survival in a ruthless society depend
upon these protective weapons. Today the rifle and automatic weapon have
replaced the Dao and the spear. The Nagas
love hunting, though much of the game is extinct now. Elephant-hunting
is a particularly thrilling sport. The hunter sleeps separate from his
wife on the night before and consult the omens the next morning before
setting out on the expedition. The hunting of a tiger or leopard is no
less exciting. In August 1970, the villagers of Sungratsu in Mokokchung
district killed twelve tigers in a massive hunt. |
