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Profession
Nagas are expert and bow fight,
spear throwing and
in the use of Dao. All tribes keep Dao. It is made of iron blade which is set in
a wooden handle. It is very useful and is kept always by men. It is used
for clearing the way in thick forest. In the slash-and-burn method
of agriculture the Lao plays an important role. The arrows are
poisoned with the help of a herb extract called Acronite. These are
used only on war or in hunting of big animals. Buffalo hide of
oblong, round shapes are used for making shields for use during hunting and wars.
Basket making and other kind of bamboo work is done in every house. Cultivation is done by the slash-and-burn
system called 'jhum' or dry cultivation. This is also termed as shifting cultivation. Their
main hobby is hunting. Fishing is also done in hill streams, ponds and
ditches . Both fishing are prohibited during cultivating seasons.
Houses
The Naga village is always situated on a ridge in the hills
especially at a convenient place where water is in the land or near by. There
houses are constructed on wooden poles. The walls are made of spilt bamboo. In
Urkhrul area where wood is in plenty the walls are made of
wooden planks. The roofs is thatched with grass and on each side
given a slope, the eves of which are kept slightly above the
ground. Their houses are well suited for the climatic conditions. For storing food grains, they construct granaries at a certain
distance from the cluster of the village houses. It is done to protect
them from the accidental fire breaking from out in the village. The
granary is raised from the ground and its walls are stronger than the
ordinary house. The house of the Naga chiefs in a village will be distinct by the size
and strength of the material used. The horns of
the animals are displayed in front of the house. In each house the loom is
installed for weaving. The thread used for making cloth is cotton or
synthetics.
Food
Rice is the
staple food. It is cooked in earthen or metal pots or in bamboo tubes. The young
bamboo shoots are collected during the summer season and then peeled
off, dried and then used with rice. Dried fish is eaten by all
groups. All kinds of domestic animals are eaten except the
cat. They also
eat locusts, dog, snakes, all kinds of birds and frogs. Their common drink is
'Zu',
the rice beer. On all ceremonial occasions it is
served to the guests.
Games
Kang is the popular game among the
Nagas.
It is played with the
round seed of creeper which is like horse-chestnut. Another game they play is
Tiger and the Men. Wrestling, long jump, spear throwing and stone lifting are
commonly played in villages.
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