Naga people
Nagas (Burmese: နာဂလူမျိုး) are various ethnic groups native to northeastern India and northwestern Myanmar. The groups have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority of population in the Indian state of Nagaland and Naga Self-Administered Zone of Myanmar (Burma); with significant populations in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India; Sagaing Region and Kachin State in Myanmar.
This article is about the modern ethnic group. For other uses, see Naga (disambiguation).The Nagas are divided into various Naga ethnic groups whose numbers and populations are unclear. They each speak distinct Naga languages often unintelligible to the others, but all are loosely connected to each other.
Etymology[edit]
The present day Naga people have historically been referred to by many names, like "Noga" or "Naka" by the inhabitants of the Ahom kingdom in what is now considered as Assam which means "people with pierced ears",[5] "Hao" by Meitei people of Imphal Valley[6] and "Nakas" by Burmese of what is now considered as Myanmar.[7] However, over time "Naga" became the commonly accepted nomenclature, and was also used by the British. According to the Burma Gazetteer, the term 'Naga' is of doubtful origin and is used to describe hill tribes that occupy the country between the Chins in the south and Kachins (Singphos) in the Northeast.[8]
A group of Angami Nagas
The attire of Chang Nagas
Ao Naga lady in her traditional ornaments
