A SHORT NOTE ON THE HAO TANGKHUL NAGAS

The Hao Tangkhul Nagas are an indigenous ethnolinguistic group traditionally residing on the northeastern frontier of the Indian subcontinent and extending into northwestern Myanmar. Their ancestral homeland spans a contiguous region that, due to colonial and modern-day geopolitical divisions, now crosses international borders. Within India, they mainly reside in Manipur, inhabiting particularly the eastern districts: Ukhrul and Kamjong, as well as parts of Imphal East, Tengnoupal, Thoubal, and the Sadar (now Kangpokpi) area of Senapati district. As of Census 2011, the Hao Tangkhul population in Manipur was recorded as 191,735. In the same census, Ukhrul district reported a literacy rate of 81.4 percent (with 85.5 percent among males and 76.9 percent among females). The community’s topographical belt stretches approximately between 24.499°N and 25.687°N, and 94.406°E to 95.294°E, which delineates the region within India where most Hao Tangkhul live. The Ukhrul and Kamjong districts together cover an area of 4,544 km², of which 3,706 km² is forested highlighting a high degree of forest cover in the region. Socio-politically, the Hao Tangkhul are organized under the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), their apex governing body. It administers community affairs through four subdivisions, known as Longphang: Ato Longphang (North), Aze Longphang (South), Zingtun Longphang (West), Zingsho Longphang (East) Culturally, their identity is deeply anchored in the village. Traditional villages, typically situated on hilltops, are central not only as homes but also as institutions embodying political, economic, social, and religious life. The maxim “one’s village, home, and clan” embodies the interconnectedness of personal, communal, and spiritual identity.