Lotha is the name of a major Naga

Naga people

The term Naga people refers to a conglomeration of several tribes inhabiting the North Eastern part of India and north-western Burma. The tribes have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority ethnic group in the Indian state of Nagaland...

 tribe inhabiting the Wokha

Wokha

Wokha is a town and a town area committee in Wokha district in the Indian state of Nagaland.-Geography:Wokha is located at . It has an average elevation of 1313 metres .-Demographics:...

 district of Nagaland

Nagaland

Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

.

History

Scholars have presented several theories about the migration of the Lothas and the other Naga tribes, based on vocal explanations passed on from one generation to another:

Migration from eastern China

According to this theory mentioned by Hokishe Sema, the Lothas started moving out from Eastern part of China, passing through Malaysia, Indonesia and Burma enroute. After many long years of movement, they reached a place called "Khezakhenoma" located between Manipur and Chakesang (the present-day Phek

Phek

Phek is a town and a town Council in Phek district in the Indian state of Nagaland.-Demographics: India census, Phek had a population of 12,863. Males constitute 57% of the population and females 43%. Phek has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male...

), where they settled for a short period of time. From Khezakhenoma they moved towards the present day settlement of the Lothas (Wokha) where they finally settled.

Migration from Manchuria

This theory, mentioned by T. Phillips, says that the Lothas migrated from Manchuria

Manchuria

Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...

, passing through the foothills of the Himalayas and reached Manipur via Burma. From Manipur, they moved out and settled at the present day place.

Migration from Lenka

There are multiple versions of this theory:

• The Lothas ancestors lived in a place called Lenka, situated east of the Naga territory (modern Nagaland). During the course of migration the Lothas split into two groups. The first group, after reaching the Brahmaputra Valley, settled there while the second group went towards the mountaineous region of the present day Nagaland.

• The Lothas, Sangtams, Rengma
  Rengma
  Rengma is a Naga tribe found in Nagaland and Assam states of India. According to the 2001 census of India, the Rengma population in Nagaland was 50,966 i.e. 2.9% of the total Naga population.-History:...
  
  s and the Sumis have a common ancestor and had dwelled mutually as one in their past. But at some stage in their course of migration from Lenka, the Sangtams decided to go separate ways from a place called Mao.

• The Lothas, along with the other Naga tribes, reached the present-day Kohima and settled at a place called Lezama. This is the place where the Semas parted with the other Naga tribes and the Lothas with the Rengmas settled at a hill called Themoketsa (the Lothas called this place Honoyonton). Here the Rengmas parted ways from the Lothas. One group of Lothas went towards Doyang, passing through villages like Shaki and Phiro. The other group moved towards the hilly region of the present Wokha and settled at a place called Longchum near the Niroyo village.

Local traditions mention that the Rengmas and the Lothas were once part of a single tribe. There are also oral records of a mighty struggle between the combined Rengma villages, and the Lotha village of Phiro.

Population

According to 2001 census of India, Lothas - the native of Wokha district of Nagaland number 548,000.

Culture

Wokha is the traditional home of the Lotha tribes. Lothas are renowned for their colourful dances and folk songs. The male members of the Lotha tribe of Nagaland wear shawls indicating their social status. The prestigious social shawl for women is Opvuram and Longpensu for men.

Like many Nagas, the Lothas practised headhunting in the older days. But, after the arrival of Christianity, they gave up this practice. Though the majority of the Lothas are baptist, there exist a moderate amount of other forms of Christianity like the Catholics. Catholics are concentrated more in Wokha than in other parts of Nagaland.

Tokhu Emong

Tokhu Emong

Tokhu Emong is a festival celebrated by the Lotha nagas. It is celebrated on first week of November every year and it lasts for 9 days. It is also called post harvest festival. This festival is associated with the harvesting of crops.It is also accompanied and folk dances and singing of old folk...

 and Pikhuchak are the main festivals celebrated amidst much pomp and splendor. Tokhu Emong is celebrated on 7 November.

Related links

Lothas at Ethnologue website