Naga is an umbrella term for several indigenous communities in Northeast India and Upper Burma. The word Naga originated as an exonym. Today, it covers a number of ethnic groups that reside in the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and also in Myanmar.

Before the arrival of the British, the term "Naga" was used in Assam to refer to certain isolated ethnic groups. The British adopted this term for a number of ethnic groups in the surrounding area, based on loose linguistic and cultural associations. Nagaland became the 16th state on 1 December 1965. S. R. Tohring (2010) lists 66 Naga ethnic groups[1] whereas Kibangwar Jamir (2016) lists 67 ethnic groups.[2] The 1991 Census of India listed 35 Naga groups as Scheduled Tribes: 17 in Nagaland, 15 in Manipur and 3 in Arunachal Pradesh.[3]

List of Naga ethnic groups

Tribe Country Recognized as Scheduled Tribe in Population [4][5][6][7] Reference for classification as Naga Comments
Anāl India, Myanmar Manipur 23,509 S.R. Tohring, 2010
Angami India Nagaland 141,732 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Ao India Nagaland 226,625 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Chakhesang India Nagaland 154,874
Chang India Nagaland 64,226 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Chirr India Nagaland 138 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Chiru India Manipur 8,599 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Chothe India Manipur 3,585 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Inpui India Manipur S. R. Tohring, 2010
Kharam (also Purum) India Manipur 1,145 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Khiamniungan Myanmar, India Nagaland 61,647 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also known as Nokow (Noko) in Myanmar.
Konyak Myanmar, India Nagaland 205,458 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Lamkang India Manipur 7,770 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Lainong Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also known as Htang ngan
Liangmai India Nagaland, Manipur Part of Zeliangrong
Lotha India Nagaland 173,111 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Makury (sometimes spelt Makuri) Myanmar, India S. R. Tohring, 2010 Considered part of Yimkhiung in Nagaland, India
Mao (also Ememei) India Manipur 93,343 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Khrasi ][8]
Maram India Manipur 27,524 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Maring India Manipur 26,424 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Monsang India Manipur 2,427 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Moyon Myanmar, India Manipur 2,516 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Moyon Naga.[9][10][11]
Nocte (or Nokte) India Arunachal Pradesh 34,664 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Part of Tangshang Naga.
Para Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010
Phom India Nagaland 52,682 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Pochury India Nagaland 21,948 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Poumai India Nagaland,

Manipur

127,381 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Rengma India Assam, Nagaland 62,951 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Rongmei India Assam, Manipur S. R. Tohring, 2010 Part of Zeliangrong
Sangtam India Nagaland 74,994 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Sümi (or Sema) India Nagaland 236,313 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Tangkhul India, Myanmar Manipur 178,568
Tangsa (or Tase in language coding name) India, Myanmar Arunachal Pradesh 15,295 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Known as Tangshang in Myanmar
Tarao India Manipur 1,066 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Thangal India Manipur S. R. Tohring, 2010
Tikhir India Nagaland 7,537 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Tutsa India Arunachal Pradesh Robin Tribhuwan, 2005[12] It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga.
Wancho India Arunachal Pradesh 56,886 S. R. Tohring, 2010 It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga.
Yimkhiung Myanmar, India Nagaland 66,972 S. R. Tohring, 2010
Zeme India Nagaland, Assam & Manipur 74,877 S.R.Tohring Part of Zeliangrong Community

Naga ethnic groups with limited recognition

Tribe Country State Reference for classification as Naga Comments
Khoibu India Manipur Romesh Singh, 2006[13] Also considered as a subtribe of Maring
Hemi (also Haimi) Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Limited scope of former name of Tangshang
Pangmi Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Limited scope of former name of Tangshang
Muklom India S. R. Tohring, 2010 subtribe of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga
Rangpang India Arunachal Pradesh S. R. Tohring, 2010 Limited scope of former name of Tangshang
Ollo (Lazu) India Arunachal Pradesh Also considered as a sub-tribe of Nocte
Koka Naga (Goga) Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 sometimes considered as a subtribe of Somra Tangkhul
Longphuri Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also considered as a subtribe of Makury
Makyam (Paung Nyuan) Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also considered as a subtribe of Khiamniungan Naga
Tikhak India, Myanmar Arunachal Pradesh S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also considered as a subtribe of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga

Composite ethnic groups or communities

Pakan

Anāl, Maring, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Khoibu

Tangshang

A combination term, Tang from Tangnyu Vang (Wang) and Shang from Shangnyu Vang (Wang) chieftains, which were formerly known as and includes Heimi (Haimi), Pangmi, Rangpang, Tangsa, Wancho, Nocte, and Tutsa now.

Tenyimi

Angami, Chakhesang, Mao, Maram, Inpui, Pochury, Poumai, Rengma, Thangal, Zeliang.[14]

Angami: Chakhro Angami, Northern Angami, Southern Angami, Western Angami

Chakhesang: Chokri, Khezha and formerly Pochury (Southern Sangtam) combined[8]

Shepfomei or Shepoumai (Mao–Poumai): Ememei, Lepaona, Chiliivai and Paomata together[8]

Zeliangrong: Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei together[15]

References

  1. ^ S. R. Tohring (2010). Violence and identity in North-east India: Naga-Kuki conflict. Mittal Publications. pp. xv–xvii. ISBN 978-81-8324-344-5.
  2. ^ Jamir, Kibangwar. The Nagas with the three great nations (1st ed.). Dimapur, Nagaland.
  3. ^ U. A. Shimray (2007). Naga population and integration movement. Mittal Publications. pp. 25–33. ISBN 978-81-8324-181-6.
  4. ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Nagaland". Census India.
  5. ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Manipur". Census India.
  6. ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Arunachal". Census India.
  7. ^ "List of Scheduled Tribes - Assam". Census India.
  8. ^ a b c William Nepuni (2010). Socio-cultural history of Shüpfomei Naga tribe. Mittal Publications. pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-81-8324-307-0.
  9. ^ Sipra Sen (1992). Tribes and Castes of Manipur: Description and Select Bibliography. Mittal Publications. p. 58. ISBN 978-81-7099-310-0.
  10. ^ Folk tales of Moyon-Monsang. Directorate for Development of Tribals and Backward Classes, Manipur. 1982. p. 1.
  11. ^ G. K. Ghosh; Shukla Ghosh (1997). Women of Manipur. APH. p. 54. ISBN 9788170248972.
  12. ^ Robin D. Tribhuwan (1 January 2005). Tribal Housing Issues. Discovery Publishing House. pp. 56–. ISBN 978-81-7141-917-3. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  13. ^ M. Romesh Singh (1 January 2006). Tribal Development in 21st Century: An Experience from Manipur. Mittal Publications. p. 60. ISBN 978-81-8324-150-2. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  14. ^ "Tenyimi Day message from TPO president". The India Post. 22 February 2012.
  15. ^ G. K. Ghosh; Shukla Ghosh (1997). Women of Manipur (illustrated ed.). APH Publishing. p. 4. ISBN 978-81-7024-897-2.
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