This place in India has a past history of killing Outsiders who tried to set foot there …
I am sitting with a man who is photographed every day. He isn’t a celebrity.
And he has killed a lot of people.
Unique Facts About Longwa
Welcome to India’s most fascinating village – Longwa – the village of the famous Head Hunters.
Till the 1970s, there was a lot of violence among villages in Nagaland & Myanmar.
The king would believe that his men had killed somebody, if only they’d behead the guy & bring their heads to him.
As a reward, the warrior would get a tattoo on his face or body. In 1970s, the Indian govt banned the practise of head hunting.
And here I was, sitting with one of the last remaining head hunters in the world.
To reach Longwa,
Closest airport: Dibrugarh.
Dibrugarh to Longwa: 6-7 hrs by cab
ILP reqd to enter Nagaland
Route: Mostly forested, rural villages springing up on the sides.
Major town enroute : Mon, 1.5 hrs before Longwa
I look at his wizened old face, & his bent back. He was a strong, fearless warrior once. Now he is 82 years old.
I ask if he ever felt guilty about killing people. His answer is matter of fact. ” _It was about survival. Life now isn’t like what it was then. If we stepped out of the village, even to go to the fields or forest, we would go in a group. We could be killed if we ventured out alone. We were always alert, always ready for battle.”_
Unique Facts About Longwa
The village king’s house is spread across 2 countries. India and Myanmar! Yes, the house lies on both sides of the border & the demarcating line runs through the centre of the house.
His kitchen is in India, but the dining area in Myanmar. One gate post in India, the other in Myanmar. How cool is that!
I ask him if he ever wanted to travel.
“We didn’t know what travel meant. We thought we were the world, we and the villages around us. No outsider could enter our village then. But I like how the world has changed. When people come here, I feel grateful. I feel happy. I like telling them about our culture. I like knowing about their culture”
Unique Facts About Longwa
It’s the only village in India where locals have dual citizenship. They don’t need a passport to go into Myanmar. Many kids study across the border in the day and come back home by afternoon!
I ask the HeadHunter if he ever fell in love. His face widens into a smile. “Most boys in the village wouldn’t get attention. But I was a warrior – a HeadHunter – so lots of girls were in love with me ” he says grinning naughtily.
A few teeth are missing, and he sits hunched over, but the mischief in the eyes is infectious!
Places to Stay:
There are no hotels. Only 2-3 homestays. They are very basic.
There are no restaurants. Meals are served by the homestay owners.
His chest is tattooed. A tattoo was a mark of high social privilege and only reserved for the bravest warriors
The headgear is impressive. Hornbill feathers sit high on a bearskin base, wild boar tooth and wild cat horns serve as embellishments. Mountain goat horns serve as ear piercings and could even be used as a quick weapon.
Unique Facts About Longwa
There is a gunmaker’s workshop in the village. You can visit it, and see how they make guns.
It’s a common sight to see boys casually carry guns slung over their shoulders.
My last question to him is, “All those girls who loved you, are they still alive?” The young translator grins at me and says “Even I don’t know the answer to this question”. The old man laughs, when the question is translated to him.
His reply, “Two of them still are.”
Pro tips for visiting Longwa
1. Go stay overnight for one day. Expect very basic accommodation, home cooked meals & not great washrooms
2. Visit king’s house, the gunmaker’s shop, view point to see Myanmar, Zero Point
3. Help the local community by buying some local artifacts.
P.s @onhisowntrip can make all arrangements for you, with a guide