Wancho

The Wancho are a tribal people inhabiting the Patkoi Hills of Tirap. They have a population of 35,000.

A Naga sub-tribe, they are ethnically related to the Nocte and the Konyak Naga of the Mon and Tirap district. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.

Religion

Unlike the other Naga, the Wancho are an exception, together with the Nocte and a small minority of the Konyak , still loyally retained the belief of Animism, although small and scattered communities of Baptist Christians are found. Hinduism has little influence on the Wancho tribe, owing to the fact that they live on higher elevations than the Nocte.

Culture

Tatooing plays a major role among the Wancho tribe. According to tradition, a man is tatooed on his four limbs and his entire face, with the exception of certain regions around the eyes and the lips. The women adorn themselves with necklaces and bangles, along with some light tatooing as well.

Lifestyle

The Wancho are traditionally governed by a council of elderly chieftans, known as Wangchu-Wangcha.

Like most neighbouring tribes, the Wancho construct houses made out of wood and bamboo, and roofs were thatched with dry leaves. Dormitories, known as Murung, where the boys are trained to be men by their fathers. Although the girls do not have dormitories like the boys, they sleep in one big, single house, with the care of an old lady.

Until 1991, headhunting was practiced among the Naga tribes, and both the government and missionaries have taken steps to ban the practice of headhunting.