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]
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 |
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 |
Anāl, Maring, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Khoibu
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.
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]