Origin of the Nagas in Manipur

There is no one accepted theory on the origin of the Nagas in Manipur; nevertheless the term “Naga” is not new, and is currently in use in Manipur and other parts of India. The Nagas had no written history till after their conversion to Christianity at the end of the 19th century. Reconstruction of the origin of the Nagas of Manipur is largely dependents on Oral History and Oral Tradition. There is however a kind of consensus that in the distant past, the Nagas of Manipur originated from China, they possess Mongoloid features. The reason for Naga migration into Manipur was the oppression they were subjected to by the Chinese Emperor. In the course of their migration they settled in Burma but ultimately made their way to Makhel, from which place they dispersed to different places in Manipur. To commemorate their origin and dispersal they built a giant monolith at Makhel as a memorial stone. Although the Nagas are divided into many tribes, they follow Naga customary law even at the present time, and the passage of rites of all Naga tribes bears a striking similarity.