The Naga Tribes Of Manipur

by Thomas Callan Hodson

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Thomas Callan Hodson. Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, where he was a Fellow of St Catharine's College, notable for his writings on Indian anthropology and for coining the term sociolinguistics

Reviews

[Daren]

This need only be a short review. This book is a relatively simple academic work to describe the ethnology of the tribes inhabiting the hills which is point of area from the greater part of the state of Manipur Naga and Kuki occupy definite areas in these hills the Naga tribes in Manipur.

It is not particularly readable, but for the general reader, it has its more interesting aspects mixed with the less interesting. It is however very thorough, and is no doubt an important publication to record these anthropological details that would otherwise be lost. Obviously it is a snapshot of time from just prior to its publication in 1911.

As above it covers many aspects from habitat and geographical distribution, appearance and characteristics, origins, dress, tattooing and weapons to descriptions of houses and villages, furniture and utensils, manufactured items, agriculture, crops, hunting and fishing, food and drink. It goes on to cover tribal organisation and structure, marriage, adoptions, inheritance. Land and other laws, decision of disputes, war and headhunting are also covered. A large section on religion follows, which covers beliefs and origin stories, dreams, omens, ancestor worship, nature worship, rites, sacrifices, ceremonies, marriage and priesthood. There is also a collection of folk tales.

In terms of setting out to meet its purpose this book nailed it. For the entertainment of the general reader, clearly not its intent, it was a bit of a chore to get through it all.
2 stars.