TRADE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NAGA AND AHOM THESIS SUBMITED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY TO NAGALAND UNIVERSTY Supervisor Research Scholar Prof. N.VENUH LICHUMO ENIE Department of History & Archaeology Nagaland University Kohima campus, Meriema. 2016 I dedicate this work to Almighty God My Father Shoshumo Enie and Mother Amhono Enie My wife Dr Hannah Enie and Son Mhajamo Enie My pillars of strength DECLARATION I, Shri. Lichumo Enie (PhD/433/2011) do hereby declare that the thesis entitled ‘Trade Relationship Between Naga and Ahom’ submitted by me under the guidance and research supervision of Professor N.Venuh, Department of History & Archaeology, Nagaland University is original and independent research work. I also declare that, it has not been submitted in any part or in full to this University or institution for the Award of any degree part or in full to this University or institution for the award of any degree. The thesis is being submitted to Nagaland University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History and Archaeology. Prof. N.Venuh Prof. Y. Ben Lotha Lichumo Enie Supervisor Head Candidate CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the thesis ‘Trade Relationship Between Naga and Ahom’ bearing Regd. No. 433/2011 has been prepared by Lichumo Enie under my supervision. I certify that Lichumo Enie has fulfilled all norms required under the PhD regulations of Nagaland University for the submission of thesis for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of History & Archaeology. The thesis is original work based on his own research and analysis of materials. To the best of my knowledge this work has not formed part of any such work for award of any research Degree of any other University or Research Institute. Prof. N.Venuh Supervisor ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Professor N.Venuh for the continuous support throughout my Ph.D work. He patiently, motivated and immensely helped at all times of my research and writing of this thesis. I could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor for my Ph.D study. I would also like to particularly express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Chumbeno Ngullie for taking time out to edit my work with constructive suggestions and showed me how to deal with the reality of research work. I am indebted to her for all the insights and advices whose knowledge and wisdom have supported, enlightened and shaped me, without which it would have been difficult to complete my work. Besides, I would like to thank Professor Y. Ben Lotha and Dr. Toshi for their insightful comments and encouragements which helped me to widen my research work from various perspectives. My sincere thanks also go to the Librarians of Nagaland University, Meriema for providing me the opportunity to have access to the Library and research facilities. Without their support it would not be possible to conduct this research. I thank my friend and mentor Dr. Tali Imsong for the thought provoking discussions and consistent encouragement to work harder and always welcoming me to study at his private library. I would like to specially express my gratitude and deep appreciation to my friends and well wishers who assisted me with the research work specially when I was on the field work in different parts of the districts of Nagaland and Assam – Abemo Enyie, Chubameren Imchen, Hetuo Huozha, Khyochamo Kithan, Lichamo Enieo, Mantah Konyak, Madam Purchila, Moanungsang, Late Nzanbemo Kinghen, Ontick Konyak, Renthunglo Kinghen and Ponjai Konyak. I am grateful to my Colleagues of Japfü Christian College for the continuous support and encouragements. To Dr. Visakhono Hibo, thank you for always motivating me to finish this work and to Sir Viraho Hibo, for the unending support. Lastly but not the least I would like to thank my family specially my father Shoshumo Enie whose love for reading and writing books inspired me to take up this research work and my mother Amhono Enie for the strong support and ever so ready to help in her own capacity. To my father-in-law Dr. Tia, thank you for the encouragements and words of wisdom. My Mother- in-Law Dr. I.T.Asangla, I truly appreciate your gentle inspiration and faith in me. To my Sister-in-Laws and Brother-in-Laws, my heartfelt gratitude for the spiritual and moral support in every possible ways and to my brother and Sisters, my nieces and nephews especially Samuel Kin and Bijano Enie for all the encouragements and much needed prayer support to complete this research. To my beloved wife Dr. Hannah Enie, I thank you for the silent but faithful prayers, your Love and strong support. The hardship you took in editing my work and giving me necessary suggestions to help me see through the process of writing the thesis and taking care of my life over the years. To my dear son Mhajamo Enie for making my life more blessed and also keeping me awake at night and enabling me to complete this work. We made through this research together. Praise the Lord and all the glory and honour be to God. CONTENTS Table of Contents Page no Declaration Certificate Acknowledgement Chapter 1 Introduction 1-22 Chapter 2 The four Naga tribes involved in the trade relation with the Ahoms 23-53 Chapter 3 Early Trade Relation between the Nagas and Ahoms 54-85 Chapter 4 Nature of the Trade System 86-108 Chapter 5 Impact on Socio-Economic Life 109-126 Chapter 6 Conclusion 127-14 5 List of Figures 146-151 List of Plates 152-161 Appendix – 1 162-169 Bibliography 170-176 CHAPTER 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION Nagaland is situated on the far eastern edge of North East India with an area of 19,527 sq.km bordering Arunachal Pradesh on the north, Myanmar on the east, Manipur on the south and Assam on the north and west. Nagaland lies approximately between 25o 6‟ and 27o 4‟ latitude north of equator and between the longitudinal lines of 93o 20‟E and 95 o15‟ E. The Naga Hill rise from Brahmaputra valley in Assam to about 2000 feet and rise further to the southeast, as high as 6000 feet. The Naga Hills merge with the Patkai range in Myanmar. Rivers such as the Doyang and Dikhu to the North, the Barak river in the southeast and Chindwin river of Myanmar in the Southwest, dissect the entire state. Its mountainous terrain also has a profound effect on the state climate. The monsoon season sees heavy rains and temperature slightly cooler. The average rainfall ranges from 200 to 280 cm (Venuh 2005:1) Nagaland is inhabited by 14 major tribes along with other sub tribes. Each tribe is distinct in character from the other in terms of customs, language and dress. The Nagas belong to the Indo-Mongoloid race speaking the dialects belonging to the Sino-Tibetan family (Tibeto- Burman) of languages. The major tribes that constitute the people of Nagaland are the Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, Khiamniungam, Konyak, Lotha, Phom, Rengma, Sangtam, Sumi, Yimchunger, Zeliang, and Pochury. These tribes inhabit the eleven Districts in Nagaland, namely, Kohima, Mokokchung, Wokha, Zunheboto, Phek, Tuensang, Mon, Kiphiri, Peren and Longleng. 1 In the pre-colonial days the Naga tribes occupied its own specific territory and each tribe was grouped into a number of villages and each village occupied a well marked area (Venuh, 2005: 5). The Naga villages were self-governing units and ruled by hereditary or elected chiefs. The Nagas are freedom-loving and war like people. This also brought them into conflict with Ahom power and often became constant (Alemchiba 1970: 36). In the earlier stage communication and trade relation between the Naga villages were minimal as a result each village grew in isolation. Agriculture was the main economy of the Nagas. The Nagas were self sufficient people living within its own demarcated locality as a community. There were many things the Nagas produced from their land but at times they were in need of some raw materials which were not available or grown in the hill terrain. They went down to the valley to get the raw materials and other resources. This need gradually resulted in the contact between the Nagas and the Ahoms. The Nagas came in contact with the Ahoms as they are their immediate neighbor. Historical records like the Buranjis give us an insight about the relationship between the Nagas and Ahom. The Ahom Kings who ruled in the Brahmaputra valley for almost six hundred years seems to have been endowed with a very strong sense of history and so they were particular in getting the important happenings during their reigns recorded by official scribes. These official records called the Buranji provide us very useful information about various aspects of Ahoms (Sharma 2006: 3). According to the Buranji there was trade relation between the Nagas and Ahoms as early as the thirteenth century. The nature of trade involved the ownership of goods and services either through exchange of goods or for money. Trade is the activity or process of buying, selling or exchanging goods or services. Throughout the human history there are records of trade taking place 2 everywhere. It originated from the moment humans began communicating with each other for their needs. According to Sharma the concept of an integrated economic history that accepts the view that people “engage in producing or procuring goods and services in order to support themselves; however, the frame work within which they engage in such activities is provided by the society and policy they live in” (2006: 7).