Profile portrait of the wife of the Ungma Gaonbura

B&W photographic print. 'The wife of the Gaonbura (government post or 'headman') wears full dance dress. Sheholds an axe-shaped, ceremonial dao in her hand and wears ear ornaments of crystal or glass (tongbang). On her head she has spiral brass rings fixed with a string (yongmen), which among th...

Full description


Date(s) of creation: December 1923
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
URL: http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004618
URL Description: Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections

Summary: B&W photographic print. 'The wife of the Gaonbura (government post or 'headman') wears full dance dress. Sheholds an axe-shaped, ceremonial dao in her hand and wears ear ornaments of crystal or glass (tongbang). On her head she has spiral brass rings fixed with a string (yongmen), which among the Chongli only women of the Pongen, somentimes of the Lungkam clan are allowed to wear. The three hornbill feathers in her hair show that her husband or father have performed mithun sacrifices, one for each feather. The chain slung across her body cloth bears many brass bells, showing that she is the wife of a rich man of high status. Her body cloth is of an unusal design for a woman. (Ungma is a village of the Chongli language group) '
Main author: Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
Extent: 1 photograph
Note: Machetes
Naga (South Asian people)
Ethnic group: Naga
Ethnic group: Ao Naga
Access status: Open
Copyright: Copyright held by J.P. Mills
Language: No linguistic content
Scripts: Unwritten
Physical description: 9.5 x 7 cm
Copies: Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections
Format: Archive