Portrait of a Lhota warrior in full dress (Image number G.011, J.P. Mills Photographic Collection)

Material Information

Title:
Portrait of a Lhota warrior in full dress (Image number G.011, J.P. Mills Photographic Collection)
Series Title:
Ancestral stones.
Creator:
Mills, J. P. (James Philip), 1890-1960.
Hobson, Geraldine ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Materials:
B&W photographic print 9.5x7 cm ( medium )

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Warriors ( lcsh )
Wigs ( lcsh )
Dao
Machetes ( lcsh )
Head-hunting
Headhunters ( lcsh )
एशिया -- भारत -- नगालैंड -- वोखा जिला
এশিয়া -- ভারত -- নাগাল্যান্ড
Naga (South Asian people) ( lcsh )
Naga ( ethnicity )
Lotha Naga ( ethnicity )
नागा ( ethnicity )
Spatial Coverage:
Asia -- India -- Nagaland -- Wokha District -- Yanthamo
Coordinates:
26.0696055 x 94.2869995

Notes

Abstract:
A Lotha (Lhota) warrior in full dress. He wears a "sweat-wig" of bear's fur and two hornbill feathers, showing he has participated in two head-taking ceremonies. Hanging down his back is the skull of the Great Indian Hornbill, symbolic of wealth, showing that he has undertaken a stone dragging ceremony. Worn on the hip, supported by two hair fringed baldricks across the chest, is the panji basket and great curved "tail", which has a long fringe of human hair. Panjis are sharpened bamboo spikes stuck in the ground to deter pursuit. Slung across his chest is the "enemy's teeth", a flat piece of wood covered with plaited red cane, cowrie shells representing teeth and a fringe of red hair symbolising blood pouring out of the victim's mouth. His broad apron is covered with rows of cowrie shells, as are his hair fringed wristlets. He carries a dao, and a spear ornamented with goat's hair. ( en )
General Note:
Date of photograph: 1919 June, ©1922
General Note:
Copyright held by the Estate of J.P. Mills. The Estate is currently (2015) represented by Geraldine Hobson.
General Note:
This item may be used under license: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial (CC BY-NC)
General Note:
This photograph is part of album G. All the photographs in this album are of Lhotas and were taken in 1919, when Mills was based at Mokokchung, and engaged in writing The Lotha (Lhota) Nagas, published in 1922. Many of the images appear in that book. At this time the tribe numbered about 20,000, occupying the area of the Lower Doyang river, and bordered to the south by the Western Rengmas, to the north-east by the Aos, the south-east the Semas and the plains of Assam on the western side.
General Note:
Originally collected in Album G of the "J.P. Mills Photographic Collection". (Held in the SOAS, University of London, Archives and Special Collections.)
General Note:
Mills, J. P. (James Philip), 1890-1960. The Lhota Nagas. London : Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1922. (LCCN: 23005149)
General Note:
Yanthamo is alternatively known as Yamhung Ghat and Yanasao
General Note:
VIAF ID: 2475026 (name authority) : Mills, J.P. (James Philip), 1890-1960
General Note:
VIAF ID: 24095368 (name authority) : Hobson, Geraldine
General Note:
Ethnologue reference: http://www.ethnologue.com/language/njh

Record Information

Source Institution:
SOAS, University of London
Holding Location:
Archives and Special Collections
Rights Management:
Image: © 1919, The Estate of J.P. Mills. Text: © 1996, Geraldine Hobson.
Resource Identifier:
PP MS 58/02/G/11 ( calm reference )