Kohima is a cosmopolitan area, and people from all over the country, including other parts of Nagaland, have made it their home. The indigenous settlers here are the tribal people from Angami Naga and Rengma Naga. They are skilled craftsmen and create beautiful woven baskets, clay pottery, metal works, and woodcarving.
The Angami Nagas, traditionally warriors, migrated to India from Burma, present-day Myanmar. The traditional religious practices of worshipping spirits and sacrificing roosters and pigs are not followed anymore. They are clannish, an important part of their social structure. Almost all Angami Nagas are Christians belonging to the Baptist denomination.
The Rengma Nagas were a primitive tribe, and not much is known of their origins. There are claims that they practiced slavery in the old days, and they come from the Yunnan region of China. The Indian government has had issues of militancy and insurgency with this tribal group.
Kohima is a great place to visit for lovers of Naga food. Some of the dishes you should try are Dry fish chuey made of roasted dried fish made into a chutney with chillies and tomatoes and a dash of akhuni (fermented soya beans). Normally eaten with steamed rice, this simple dish bursts with flavours; Bamboo fish, which has fish and bamboo shoots roasted over an open fire inside a bamboo stem; smoked pork with akhuni is a quintessential Naga dish and a must-try in Kohima.
