Naga is an umbrella term for several indigenous communities in Northeast India and Upper Burma. Today, it covers a number of ethnic groups that reside in the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and also in Myanmar. Before the arrival of the British, the term "Naga" was used in Assam to refer to certain isolated groups. The British adopted this term for a number of ethnic groups in the surrounding area, based on loose linguistic and cultural associations. Nagaland became the 16th state on 1 December 1965. S. R. Tohring (2010) lists 66 Naga ethnic groups whereas Kibangwar Jamir (2016) lists 67 ethnic groups.
The 1991 Census of India listed 35 Naga tribes as Scheduled Tribes: 17 in Nagaland, 15 in Manipur and 3 in Arunachal Pradesh.
List of Naga tribes
Tribes Country Recognized as Scheduled Tribe by India in Population Reference for classification as Naga CommentsAnālIndia, MyanmarManipur72,509S.R. Tohring, 2010Angami India Nagaland 141,732 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Ao India Nagaland 226,625 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Chakhesang India Manipur, Nagaland 154,874 Chang India Nagaland 64,226 S. R. Tohring, 2010Chirr India Nagaland 138 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Chiru India Manipur 8,599 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Chothe India Manipur 3,585 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Inpui India Manipur S. R. Tohring, 2010 Part of Zeliangrong Kharam (also Purum) India Manipur 1,145 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Khiamniungan Myanmar, India Nagaland 61,647 and 120,000 approx. in Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also known as Nokow (Noko) in Myanmar. Konyak Myanmar, India Nagaland 205,458 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Kom people India Manipur Lamkang India Manipur 7,770 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Lainong Myanmar Sagaing 22,617 Anui Sainyiu, 2002; S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also known as HtangnganLiangmai India Nagaland, Manipur Part of Zeliangrong Lotha India Nagaland 173,111 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Makury (sometimes spelt Makuri) Myanmar, India S. R. Tohring, 2010 Considered part of Yimkhiung in Nagaland, India Mao (also Ememei) India Manipur 97,195 S. R. Tohring, 2010KhrasiMaram India Manipur 27,524 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Maring India Manipur 26,424 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Monsang India Manipur 2,427 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Moyon Myanmar, India Manipur 2,516 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Moyon Naga. Nocte (or Nokte) India Arunachal Pradesh 111,679 Part of Tangshang Naga. Para Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Phom India Nagaland 52,682 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Pochury India Nagaland 21,948 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Poumai India Manipur 187,180 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Purum India Manipur Rengma India Assam, Nagaland 85,000 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Rongmei India Assam, Nagaland, Manipur 170,800 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Part of Zeliangrong Sangtam India Nagaland 74,994 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Sümi (or Sema) India Nagaland 236,313 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Tangkhul India, Myanmar Manipur 178,568 Tangsa (or Tase in language coding name) India, Myanmar Arunachal Pradesh 15,295 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Known as Tangshang in Myanmar Tarao India Manipur 1,066S. R. Tohring, 2010 Thangal India Manipur S. R. Tohring, 2010Tikhir India Nagaland 7,537 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Tutsa India Arunachal Pradesh Robin Tribhuwan, 2005It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga. Wancho India Arunachal Pradesh 56,886 S. R. Tohring, 2010 It is a sub-tribe of Tangshang Naga. Yimkhiung Myanmar, India Nagaland 66,972 S. R. Tohring, 2010 Zeme India Nagaland, Assam & Manipur S.R.Tohring Part of Zeliangrong Community
Naga tribes with limited recognition
Ethnic group Country State Reference for classification as Naga Comments Khoibu India Manipur Romesh Singh, 2006 Also considered as a clan of Maring Heimi Naga (also Haimi or Hemi) Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010Limited scope of former name of Tangshang Pangmi Naga Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Limited scope of former name of Tangshang Muklom Naga India S. R. Tohring, 2010 Clan of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga Rangpang Naga India Arunachal Pradesh S. R. Tohring, 2010 Limited scope of former name of Tangshang Ollo Naga (Lazu) India Arunachal Pradesh Also considered as a clan of Nocte Koka Naga (Goga) Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 sometimes considered as a clan of Somra Tangkhul Longphuri Naga Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also considered as a clan of Makury Makyam Naga (Paung Nyuan) Myanmar S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also considered as a clan of Khiamniungan Naga Tikhak Naga India, Myanmar Arunachal Pradesh S. R. Tohring, 2010 Also considered as a clan of Tangsa/Tangshang Naga
Composite ethnic groups or communities
Pakan Anāl, Maring, Lamkang, Moyon, Monsang, Khoibu
Tangshang A combination term, Tang from Tangnyu Vang (Wang) and Shang from Shangnyu Vang (Wang) chieftains, which were formerly known as and includes Heimi (Haimi), Pangmi, Rangpang, Tangsa, Wancho, Nocte, and Tutsa now.
Tenyimi
Angami, Chakhesang, Inpui, Liangmai, Mao, Maram, Pochury, Poumai, Rengma, Rongmei, Thangal, Zeme, and Northern villages of Jessami, Soraphung and Chingjaroi (Swemi) in Ukhrul district.
Angami: Chakhro Angami, Northern Angami, Southern Angami, Western Angami
Chakhesang: Chokri, Khezha and formerly Pochury (Southern Sangtam) combined
Shepfomei or Shepoumai (Mao–Poumai): Ememei, Lepaona, Chiliivai and Paomata together
Zeliangrong: Zeme, Liangmai, Rongmei and Inpui
Northern Ukhrul: Villages of Jessami, Soraphung (Krowemi), Chingjaroi (Asinei) In Northern Ukhrul District
References