Ever known of a village that straddles between two nations, that is split across borders? Well, there exists a place like that, an unchartered territory that you might know about which is actually not divided by any kinds of borders or boundaries. The one of a kind village named Longwa is situated in the Mon district of Nagaland on one side and extends to the Naga self-administered zone in Sagaing region of Myanmar on the other side. It is surrounded by Arunachal Pradesh in the North, Myanmar in the east and Assam in the west.
Longwa has kind of a twin identity when it comes to geography and culture, the international borderline that cuts through the village makes the citizens both of India and Myanmar. Longwa’s residents are provided this unique status of dual citizenship under the Free Movement Regime (FMR) maintained and acknowledged by both the nations. Under which, they can travel across 16 km area of either of the countries and stay there for as many as 14 days.
This kind of an arrangement promotes trade, exercises cultural exchange and social connections across borders with ensuring participation of all those residing here.
Lowang has a hereditary chief who is the head of the village, the Angh. At present, it is Angh Tonyei Phawang who is the 10th generation of the lineage. The Angh’s residence also lies on the border with its one half in India and the other in Myanmar that reflects upon the shared identity of the village. Angh casts his vote in elections held in India as well as Myanmar. There are seven traditional morungs, with the Angh assisted by a team of seven deputy Anghs under him.
Longwa is inhabited by 6703 people. The village has 750 households, out of which 170 lie on the international boundary. The Angh’s residence, Assam rifles post, a church, and a government primary school lie on the borders. There are two forest reserves and eight farmlands in Longwa, four of which come under the control of Myanmar.
The Konyak tribe
Longwa is the land of the Konyak Naga tribe which is the largest ethnic group among the Nagas. Notably, they were the India’s last headhunters. For the young boys of the tribe, headhunting was considered to be a ‘rite of passage’ where they used to severely chop off an enemy’s face, for which they were awarded with a facial tattoo for their success. The practice was outlawed, last raids of which were carried in early 1960s.
The Konyaks now, are trying to preserve their culture and traditions through crafting, storytelling and performing arts. Every Konyak house even now has skulls of deer, boar, hornbills that is kept as a symbol of their past achievements. The former warriors also have animal-horn ear piercings and special headdress made of wild pig horns, hornbill feathers and more.
A little history
Longwa village’s origin dates back to the 16th century. The Britishers had defined the boundary between India and Myanmar after the First Anglo-Burmese war in 1924-26 with the Treaty of Yandaboo. The boundary was until 1967, when both the countries had officially ratified the 1643 km border. A border pillar was erected along with the border line to mark the separation between the two nations in 1971. The pillar has inscriptions, in Hindi on the Indian side and in Burmese on the other side of Myanmar.
Village’s culture, major festival and top attractions
The village of Longwa hosts the Aoleang festival every year during the month of April. It is the traditional harvest festival that marks new beginnings. Dancing, singing, feasting and praying are some of the festivities observed during this period. The beginning of the festival is by ceremonial beating of the log drum known as the Kham. A hollowed log of wood is chosen especially for this purpose. The ritual is meant to connect the community with protective spirits that bring good harvest in the coming season. The villagers also pay homage to their ancestors during the festival by performing skits and plays enacting battle scenes and courageous acts that glorify their forefathers. For this, the residents wear traditional attire, carry weaponry display battle formations and other tactics. The traditional dances include Thangang and Aoleang Monyu.
When in Longwa, you must definitely visit the Church, the Angh’s house, opt for a homestay to get to know about the tribe, their art through antiques, a view of the mountains and the scenery. Do not miss the chance to meet headhunters and know their stories. It is at present the best time of the year to visit the village till the month of March when Nagaland tourism is at its peak with all kinds of fairs and festivals awaiting for you.
Lowang is a depiction of the harmonious coexistence among the people across borders who live proudly without any reported instances of border tensions. It reflects upon the political and cultural cooperation between people and nations, the communities adapting and being resilient with the arrangement since years.