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 Portrait of an Anal Naga during tribal dance performance inDelhi | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 27,000 approx[1] | |
| Languages | |
| Anāl,Naga | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Lamkang Naga,Monsang Naga,Moyon Naga |
| Part ofa series on |
| Naga people |
|---|
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TheAnālare aNaga tribe native toManipur state inNorth-East India and part ofMyanmar. They are listed as aScheduled Tribe, in accordance with TheScheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976Indian Constitution.[2][3] The Anāl tribe is one of the 'sixty six Naga tribes' of the Naga ancestral homeland.[4] The members of this tribe are found both inIndia and Myanmar. In India, they are situated in the States of Manipur andNagaland but mostly concentrated in the former. In the State of Manipur, the Anāl Naga population concentrated inChandel[5] and a few Anāl villages are located in its neighbouring districts,Churachandpur district has about three villages andThoubal district has one or two.[6]
The Anāl in Myanmar live in theSagaing sub-division. The Anāl population in this part has been dwindling. At present, there are three Anāl villages, 'Nga Kala, Napalun and Haika'. Formerly, the Anāl had no problem moving to or visiting Anāl areas now in Myanmar, and vice versa.[7] However, with the demarcation of boundaries, they became grouped under two distinct units, and with the consequent restriction imposed on the movement of the people of both sides, the Anāl had to cease such free movement between these 2 places. Consequently, there has not been any interaction between the members of the same tribe now existing in two different countries. The Anāl community is one of the oldest inhabitants of the hill areas inManipur state. Archaeological findings atChakpikarong confirm this. Despite this, the Anāls' total population remains small. According toCensus of India, the Anāl population was 21,242, and the 1991 census was totaled at 10,642.[8]
The Naga Anāl have been recognized as a tribe inManipur since 1951. The recognition of the tribe was made official byRochunga Pudaite[9] who met the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Delhi in 1951 and requested him to give Scheduled Tribe recognition to theHmar tribe of Northeast India by wearing a traditional Hmar attire. The PM then asked him if he knew of the existence other tribes which had not been included in the list. Rochunga then added the tribes of Anāl,Kom,Paite,Vaiphei,Ralte,Chothe and others, thus paving way for their recognition as well. However, it was only after the Scheduled Tribes Reorganisation in 1956, that all the aforementioned tribes were recognised by the Manipur government. Therefore, the Naga Anāl are one of 33 tribes inManipur.[10][11] Referred to them as one of the Naga tribes ofManipur and recognised as part of theList of Naga tribes by the state government ofManipur.[12]
The Anāl tribe is one of the oldestindigenous tribes in the state ofManipur inNortheast India.[13]Chakpikarong is a land of the Anāl since the time the earliest settlers occupied the hill country ofManipur. InIndia, members of the tribe are found in the state ofManipur, mainly inChandel district and a few villages inChurachandpur district andThoubal district. There are a hundred and forty-one villages inChandel district. Neighbouring districts, like theChurachanpur district, has three Anāl villages, namely Kolen, Dutejol and Warkhu, and theThoubal district has one Anāl village - Moirankhom. Under theMyanmar administrative unit, there are three Anāl villages - namely: Ngakala, Napaleen and Haika. According to the census report of 2001, the total Anāl population in India is 21,242. The Anāl population inMyanmar is not known, because many of them have assimilated into the majority populations. Originally, the Anāl were animistic, but are now largely Christian.[14] However, Christianity became a religion for the Anāl only after India's independence. Today, more than 95% of Anāl areChristians and are concentrated in theChandel ofManipur.[15] One of the positive impacts ofChristianity among the Anāl is education.[citation needed]
The Anāl are amongst theindigenous ofManipur. The history of Moirang (a Meitei kingdom) and the Anāl traditional songs and tales suggests an existence in the presence of inhabited areas since the beginning of the 1st century AD, or much earlier.[13]
In the words of Horam,[16] in ‘Naga Polity, "it can be said that the Nagas at first lived in stone caves or in the womb of the earth".[17] YL. Roland Shemmi also writes,[citation needed] "Angami, Lotha, Rengam belief that they came out from the earth hole.Tangkhul Naga came out from earth hole at Hundung. Ao tribe believes that they were the first to come out of underground cave". Thus, cave theory as the origin story of their people is common among many tribes, and all the Naga tribes shared this theory. Anāl legend states that the Anāl, together with the other Pakan tribes, originated in Mongolia.[citation needed] They lived in a cave guarded by a man-eating tiger. Two Anāl members, Hanshu and Hantha, killed the tiger with the help of birds from the sky. After the tiger's death, the tribes left the cave, travelling throughChina,Tibet, and numerous other areas before settling inManipur.[18]: 1515–6 The Anāl are divided into two groups based on who they believe they are descended from - either Hanshu or Hantha.[19]: 119–120
The origin of the name Anāl is not clear. One hypothesis is that it is derived from the surname of R.D. Angnal. Another theory is that the name was taken from theMeitei wordanan, which means "clean," suggesting that the group had a reputation for cleanliness. The Anāl generally refer to themselves as the Pakan.[18]: 1515
The political relationship between the Nagas and theKukis since the eve ofBritishcolonialism to the post-British era has always been opposed to one another. The Anāl's oral history says they were always at war with theKukis. InChakpikarong (The Anāls Naga habitation), Stone Age culture age has been explored and found the existence of this culture.[20] This shows that the Anāl Naga tribe is one of the oldest tribes ofManipur state. The oral history of the Anāl says that the Anāl were oppressed by theKukis during the Kuki rebellion of 1917.[20]
The Anāl live in theManipur region ofNortheast India, which is surrounded by theImphal valley to the north,Churachandpur districtto the west, theChin Hills to the south andKabaw valley to the east. The area is very hilly, with thick jungles and many wild animals. According to the 2001 census, there are approximately 21,242 Anāl inManipur.[21][19]: 120 In 1981 they were living in 45 villages.[22][23]
According to 2001 CensusIndia, the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population inManipur recorded a 65.9% literacy rate, which is above the national average for STs (47.1%). Of the thirteen major STs, the Anāl recorded the fourth highest literacy rate of 73.9%, while Hmar recorded the highest literacy of 79.8%, followed by Paite (79%), Any Mizo tribes (74%) andTangkhul (72.7%).[8]
In social practices, many of them are unique. One conspicuous trait is the division of tribe's clans into two distinct groups, viz., 'Mosum' and 'Murchal'. As intra-marriage can occur between the members of these two groups, ostracism of the couple in question can occur. The economy of the Anāl is based primarily on crude agriculture.[6]
The Anāls' political system, since time immemorial, is democratic in nature and practice. This could be evinced by the election of village authority: the chief and his associates are elected by either voice vote or raise hand.[6][24]
The Anāl traditionally live in windowless wooden houses withthatched roofs, erected above ground level. The houses have two doors of different sizes and two rooms, a bedroom and a storeroom (Anal:zuhmun).[18]: 1516
Anāl men traditionally wear alungi (similar to adhoti) and a simple shirt, called apakan lungum; they also strap on a basket (Anal:vopum) for carryingdao and other tools.[18]: 1516–7 Women wear undergarments, a skirt, blouse, and shawl, which cover them from their heads to their knees; they also carry a basket(Anal:Bowl).[18]: 1516–7 Both sexes can wear jewellery, including rings, necklaces, and bracelets, as well as special longearrings made from insect wings.[18]: 1517 Traditionally clothing is made by the women.[18]: 1517
Anāl are traditionallymonogamous, although cases ofpolygyny have been reported. In order to marry, an Anāl man must pay abride price (Anal:jol min); after marriage, the wife moves into the husband's home. Divorce (Anal:ithin) is permitted among the Anāl, although a fine may be incurred.[19]: 122
The Anāl are traditionallypolytheistic, believing in a supreme creator named Asapavan, as well as a secondary deity named Wangparel, and numerous other spirits. The largest Anāl rite is called Akam, which is divided into six stages (Judong,Bhuthawsing,Hni,Sapia,Akapidam, andDathu) and takes six years to complete. During Akam, the Anāl sacrificemithun and pigs and offer a feast to the community. Some Anāl have converted toChristianity.[18]: 1517
Traditionally, Anāl men work ascarpenters, particularly the manufacture ofbamboo furniture, and inbasketry. Women traditionally specialized inweaving and spinningcotton, which is grown locally. Due tomodernization and competition from factory-produced goods, many traditional methods have been abandoned.[18]: 1517–8 They are also farmers, harvestingrice,soybeans,pumpkins,tomatoes, andgourds.[19]: 125
The Anāl have many traditionalmusical instruments, including thekhuwang (drum),sanamba (three-stringedfiddle),dolkhuwang (gong),pengkhul (trumpet),tilli (flageolet),rasem (a pipe instrument), anddiengdong (xylophone[18]: 1517 They are good dancers and their traditional dances include thekamdam, which is performed by young people for theakam festival, and theludam, which celebrated victoriousheadhunting.[25]
The Anāl areomnivores, eating fish, eggs, beef, pork, and other kinds of meat, as well as fruits and vegetables.[19]: 121 Although traditionally they do not drink milk, some families now consume it with tea. A form of rice beer, known aszupar orzuhrin, is also drunk.[19]: 121
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)| Mizoram |  Naga woman | |
|---|---|---|
| Nagaland | ||
| Meghalaya | ||
| Arunachal Pradesh | ||
| Manipur | ||
| Tripura | ||
| Assam | ||
| Sikkim | ||
| Kuki tribes including: | ||
| Naga tribes including: | ||