Throngkiuba, the legendary head hunter with his warrior tattoos.
Ashikho Pfuzhe
Pungro | July 19
A legend of a bygone era, this living warrior has killed more enemies with his “dao” (Naga machete) than the average modern soldier with his AK-47.
Throngkiuba Yimchungrü, a centenarian believed to be the oldest man of Pungro sub-division in Kiphire district, once held the “infamous” record of scalping 14 heads including eight in a single day, in this part of Mount Saramati bordering Myanmar. The tattoos on his arms, legs and chest are there to tell of his bloody exploits during the old days when headhunting was rife in the Naga Hills.
Now, sitting in his hearth in Pungro, Throngkiuba recalls the events of the wild past and raid on a neighbouring village in Myanmar where he scalped eight heads.
“It was one day that some warriors from a village across the border came and killed one of our villagers (Salumi village) and carried away his head. To take revenge, warriors from our village attacked the rival village and there was a bitter battle. Eventually, we returned home carrying 20 heads of rival villagers. I scalped eight heads that day”, the old warrior said.
“There was so much blood spilled that day. After sometime you cannot prise open your fingers from the dao handle due to clotting of blood”, he said.
Throngkiuba said he was also nearly killed that day as two arrows pierced his abdomen and his left ear and he had to be carried home on makeshift stretcher.
More than 35 years after he converted to Christianity and was baptized, the old man still carries the scars to remind him of another world where love and forgiveness was not the religion. The raid on the village in Myanmar also proved to be a turning point for Throngkiuba as the then deputy commissioner of Kohima, JH Hutton, ordered an enquiry into the killings and summoned the warrior. “Hutton saab made me swore not to go head hunting again and appointed me as GB”, Throngkiuba said.
Post-independence, Throngkiuba also served as commander of the “Scouts” in the late 1950s as central government’s strategy to counter Naga insurgents.
As befitting his warrior status, Throngkiuba married a total seven wives, six of who are no more. He has 12 children from his seventh and present wife Sochila. He held the post of head DB (dobashi) till his retirement some years back.
Age and Christianity has mellowed the old warrior whose roar once sent shivers down the spine of his foes and friends alike and he no longer takes pride in his trophies (skulls). The animist warrior decided to embrace a new life when an Ao preacher came spreading the Gospel to Pungro area in 1974.
On hopes of salvation, he said, “Before Christianity, I was like possessed by the devil. I know I have done wrong but then headhunting was common those days. I did not cheat or betray my people....sometimes I ponder on my predicament. Yes, I’ll be very happy if the Lord forgives me”, the old man said in a contrite voice. Throngkiuba has one parting wish - “Now that headhunting days are a thing of the past, Nagas should live peacefully with each other. Let all our past crimes and mistakes be washed away like flood waters and let the future generation be not tainted by our past.”
