KONYAK TRIBE

KONYAK TRIBE

Context:

On 4 Dec 2021, violence followed by the killing of six residents in Oting village in Mon district of Nagaland led to the killing of eight other civilians who were Konyak (among the largest ethnic groups in the states).

About Konyak Tribe:

• With a population of about 3 lakh, the Konyaks settlement extends into Arunachal Pradesh and has some population in Myanmar.
• This tribe is known as one of the strongest war tribes in Nagaland.
• The Konyak was the last to abandon the practice of head-hunting - cutting off the heads of their enemies after invading rival tribes - in the late 1980s.
• Mon is the only district in Nagaland where the NSCN (IM) could not set up base camps, mainly because of resistance to the Konyaks.
• Because of their diversity and national status against the NSCN (IM), the Konyaks form the backbone of the NNPG - 7 Naga groups of Nagaland indigenous people - unlike the IM, which is owned by the Tangkhul tribe originally from Manipur.
• Therefore, the Konyak is essential for resolving peace talks and the peace process after state negotiations.

Traditional Practices of Konyaks:

• Unique traditional practices that make Konyaks different are iron-smelting, brass-works, gunsmithing, and gunpowder-making.