Explained: Konyak tribe numbers make them crucial to peace talks

What is the News?

At Least 14 civilians were killed in the firing by security forces in Mon District in Nagaland. The civilians killed in this incident belonged to the Konyak Community.

About Konyak Tribe

​​Konkyak is one of the major tribes of Nagaland that reside mostly in the Mon district. They are also found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Myanmar.

Note: Mon is the only district in Nagaland where separatist group NSCN (IM) has not been able to set up base camps, largely due to resistance from the Konyaks.

Features: A distinct group of Konyaks is easily recognized by their tattooed faces.

Occupation: They are traditional hunters and warriors of Nagaland, but now their main occupation is agriculture.

Festivals:

Aoling Festival: It is a festival celebrated by the Konyak Naga people. It celebrates the arrival of spring and prays for a good upcoming harvest.

Lao-Ong Mo Festival also known as the Post-harvest festival is celebrated by the Konyak tribe to signify the winding up of all harvest activities, norms, and rituals that were practiced or adhered to by every household.

Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: Konyak tribe numbers make them crucial to peace talks” published in Indian Express on 6th December 2021.