Nagaland the sixteenth State It is bounded by Assam in the West, Myanmar (Burma) on the East, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam on the North and Manipur in the South. Each of the 16 odd tribes has its own customs, languages and dress. It has a rich oral tradition which has been handed down the generations. It is a land of song and music where you can hear folk songs praising the brave deeds of ancient warriors and folk heroes; love song immortalizing tragic love stories.
The tribes and sub-tribes that dwell in this exotic hill state can easily be distinguished by the colorful and intricately designed costumes, jewellery and beads that they wear. The traditional ceremonial attire of each tribe is an interesting sight to see. The multi- coloured spears and daos decorated with dyed goat's hair, the headgear made of finely woven bamboo interlaced with orchid stems, adorned with boar's teeth and hornbill's feathers, ivory armlets. In the other days, warrior had to prove their worth to wear each of these items.
The inhabitants belong to the Indo-Mongoloid stock, whose ancestors lived off nature's abundant gifts, blessed with friendly dispositions. Above all, the people here are warm hearted and extremely hospitable! You will feel it in the air!
Like other inhabitants of the north-eastern region, the Nagas too have their share of legends and folklore regarding their origin and evolution through the ages.
In the 12th and 13th centuries gradual contact with the Ahoms of present day Assam was established, but this did not have any significant impact on the traditional Naga way of life. However, in the 19th century the British appeared on the scene and ultimately the area was brought under British administration.
