Wancho
Encyclopedia
The Wancho are a tribal people inhabiting the Patkai
hills of Tirap district
in the state of Arunachal Pradesh
, India
. They have a population of 35,000. Culturally Naga
, they are ethnically related to the Nocte and Konyak Naga of the Mon
and Tirap districts. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.
. These Animist Wancho believe in the existence of two powerful deities, Rang and Baurang.
Christianity has gained some followers among the Wancho, many of whom belong to the Baptist
or Roman Catholic denominations. Acceptance of Christianity has largely to do with comparative influences from the Nagas of Nagaland
as well as changing perspectives towards headhunting. However, this has also resulted in the decline in many aspects of their traditional culture, which has strong associations with religion.
The prime festival of the Wancho is Oriah, a festival between March to April, for a period of six to twelve days interspersed with prayer, songs and dances. Villagers exchange bamboo tubes filled with rice beer as a mark of greeting and goodwill. Pork skin is then offered to the village chief as a mark of respect. This festival continues for several days just sowing of Jhum paddy and Pigs, buffaloes and mithuns are sacrificed and feasts are arranged in each and every morungs (dormitories). Boys and girls, wearing ceremonial costumes, sings and dance during this Oriah. People dances around a "Jangban", a long ceremonial pole planted during Oriah.
Like most neighbouring tribes, the Wancho construct houses made out of wood and bamboo, and roofs were thatched with dry leaves. Dormitories, known as Murung, where the boys are trained to be men by their fathers. Although the girls do not have dormitories like the boys, they sleep in one big, single house, with the care of an old lady.
Until 1991, human headhunting was practiced among the Naga tribes, and both the government and missionaries have taken steps to ban the practice of headhunting, which is now restricted to animals.
Patkai
The Pat-kai meaning to Cut Chicken in Tai Ahom language are the hills on India's North Eastern border with Burma. They were created by the same tectonic processes that resulted in the formation of the Himalayain the Mesozoic . They are not as rugged as the Himalayas and its peaks are much lower...
hills of Tirap district
Tirap district
The Tirap district is located in the southeastern part of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It shares a state border with Nagaland and Assam, an international border with Myanmar and a district border with Changlang.- History :...
in the state of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, 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...
. They have a population of 35,000. Culturally 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...
, they are ethnically related to the Nocte and Konyak Naga of the Mon
Mon District
Mon is a district of Nagaland state in India.-Geography:Mon district is the northernmost district of Nagaland. It is bounded by the state of Arunachal Pradesh to its north, Assam to its west, Myanmar to its east, Longleng District to its south-west and Tuensang District to its south...
and Tirap districts. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.
Religion
Unlike the other Naga, the Wancho, together with the Nocte and a small minority of the Konyak, still retain the belief of AnimismAnimism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
. These Animist Wancho believe in the existence of two powerful deities, Rang and Baurang.
Christianity has gained some followers among the Wancho, many of whom belong to the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
or Roman Catholic denominations. Acceptance of Christianity has largely to do with comparative influences from the Nagas 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...
as well as changing perspectives towards headhunting. However, this has also resulted in the decline in many aspects of their traditional culture, which has strong associations with religion.
Culture
Tattooing plays a major role among the Wancho tribe. According to tradition, a man is tattooed on his four limbs and his entire face, with the exception of certain regions around the eyes and the lips. The women adorn themselves with necklaces and bangles, along with some light tattooing as well.The prime festival of the Wancho is Oriah, a festival between March to April, for a period of six to twelve days interspersed with prayer, songs and dances. Villagers exchange bamboo tubes filled with rice beer as a mark of greeting and goodwill. Pork skin is then offered to the village chief as a mark of respect. This festival continues for several days just sowing of Jhum paddy and Pigs, buffaloes and mithuns are sacrificed and feasts are arranged in each and every morungs (dormitories). Boys and girls, wearing ceremonial costumes, sings and dance during this Oriah. People dances around a "Jangban", a long ceremonial pole planted during Oriah.
Lifestyle
The Wancho are traditionally governed by a council of elderly chieftains, known as Wangham or Wangsa.Like most neighbouring tribes, the Wancho construct houses made out of wood and bamboo, and roofs were thatched with dry leaves. Dormitories, known as Murung, where the boys are trained to be men by their fathers. Although the girls do not have dormitories like the boys, they sleep in one big, single house, with the care of an old lady.
Until 1991, human headhunting was practiced among the Naga tribes, and both the government and missionaries have taken steps to ban the practice of headhunting, which is now restricted to animals.