Nagaland is a vibrant hill state located in the extreme north eastern end of India, bound by Myanmar in the East; Assam in the West; Arunachal Pradesh and a part of Assam in the North and Manipur in the South. It is renowned for its rich cultural heritage. The State is inhabited by 16 major tribes and other sub-tribes. Each tribe is distinct in character in terms of customs, language and dress. It is a land of folklore passed down through generations.
Folk Dance and Music of Nagaland
In Nagaland, dance and music are an essential part of their culture. The tribal dance and music set your feet tapping. The dance is generally performed in groups and is danced to folk songs perfectly synchronized with music through various musical instruments. The tribal dances become more extravagant by the virtue of the colourful and unique traditional costumes and jewellery. The folk songs narrate the stories of bravery, romance and historic moments of the past. This place has some fantastic taste in dance and music admired and cherished by all those who visit Nagaland.
Musical instruments used in Nagaland
Musical Instruments of Nagaland are indigenous and are made from simple things like Bamboo. They generate fabulous tunes and add to the melody of Naga music. There are several rhythmic instruments that aptly accompany Nagaland music. Each tribe has a unique set of traditional instruments influenced by their customs and materials available. The musical instruments extensively used by the people are bamboo mouth organs, cup violins, bamboo flutes, trumpets, drums made of cattle skin, and log drums. Some of the important musical instruments used are as follows:
Asem - A drum with animal skin masked upon carved wood. Jemji - This is a type of horn made using Mithun’s (state animal of Nagaland) horn. Tati - Tati is a single-stringed traditional musical instrument of Nagaland. It is used by the Angami Nagas and Chakhesang Nagas. This string instrument is made from a dried caved-out Bottle Gourd covered with thin-film and attached to one end of a pole. A string is tied between the two ends of the pole. Bamboo Flute - This flute is one of the simplest instruments made of thin bamboo. It produces several different kinds of tunes. Malen - Another type of musical instrument similar to the bamboo flute is called ‘Malen’ in Ao dialect, which is made out of paddy plant stump.
Bamboo Trumpet - The trumpet, made from Bamboo, is mostly used by the herd’s men to scare away wild animals from the cattle. Bamboo Mouth Organ - The bamboo mouth organ is one of the oldest traditional musical instruments used by the Naga tribes. This mouth organ is also called the ‘Midnight Musical Instrument’. Cup Violin - This is one of the musical instruments popularly used by the Ao tribes. Petu - Petu is a common musical string instrument played by the Nagas. The Angamis and Chakhesangs are particularly fond of this instrument. Theku - Another popular string instrument.
Folk Dances of Nagaland
Music and dance play a huge part in the culture of Nagaland and every event includes a folk dance. Dance is a very important part of life in rural Nagaland. Most of the dances are performed by clapping and chanting. The dances are enhanced by colourful costumes. The people of Nagaland believe in togetherness hence all their dances are presented in groups. Speaking of which, Nagaland has multiple tribes each having their own unique dance form, culture, language and more. For instance, the major folk dances of Nagaland include Modse, Agurshikukula, Butterfly Dance, Aaluyattu, Sadal Kekai, Changai Dance, Kuki Dance, Leshalaptu, Khamba Lim, Mayur Dance, Monyoasho, Rengma, Seecha and Kukui Kucho, Shankai and Moyashai etc. However, the prominent ones are War Dance and Zeliang Dance.
Folk dances of Nagaland are performed mainly in a synchronized manner in groups by women as well as men, based on the kind of dance. Dances are generally performed in religious and festive occasions. There are several folk dances in Nagaland which are generally performed at the time of harvest. The folk dances are filled with fun and frolic, since these dances are performed when the people are enjoying a special event. Each Naga tribe has its own dance, but they have a common feature. All the folk dances of Nagaland require the use of legs while keeping the body in an upright position. The Naga dancers generally perform by keeping their body erect and with their knees unbent. Complex leg movements and simple hand movements are the characteristics of the dance. Some of the dances have been named according to the dance steps, resembling birds, insects or animals. No musical instrument is used in any folk dance of Nagaland.
Costumes and Themes
War Dance
War Dance is the most famous dance in the state. It involves a great deal of expertise as the performers go through dangerous war motions. Even a little bit of carelessness can prove highly dangerous. Nagas never perform individually, they always dance in a group. The dancers wear colourful and graceful dresses which add more charm to the dance. The dresses of the dancers resemble the costumes of the warriors. The dance is athletic and energetic in style. There are no musical accompaniments, in fact, the performers yell a war cry and sing songs while performing. The costume of the participants resembles a warrior’s gear for the battle. The artists wear ornaments made of silver, brass or iron metals, the dao (Naga Machete) and long spears as props for the dance. This makes the performance even more interesting. The attire worn by the males includes a conical red headgear decorated with Hornbill's black and white feathers and wild boar's canine teeth. The necklaces, the bangles and the tattoos are reminiscent of the ancient times of wars and sacrifices. This dance is particularly performed by the Naga men or the men belonging to the Naga tribe of Nagaland.
The Dance form of Sumi tribe:
Dance is of different kinds for both male and females and is commonly known as Apfii Laho. The theme revolves around the stories told by their ancestors. According to the natives, their forefathers were believed to be very strong and are called as Head dancers. So through the folk dance, they show bravery. Saw-li-Yi dance is performed during the Tuluni and Ahuna festivals. Women wear Mekhla which remains above the knee. The upper part of their body is covered by shawls exclusive to different tribes. Ornaments like armlets, amulets, anklets, bracelets, earrings, and headgear are often worn. Jewellery made of metals and beads add beauty to the tribal woman. Men wear apron-like clothing known as Ashriida. The costumes are decorated with seashells along with head gears made up of sheep wool. The ornaments are made up of sea shells, wood, metal etc. Men wear head gears which are made up of artificial hair.
