'Victory Dance of the Lotha Nagas\r'

'VICTORY DANCE Rhanthungo Kikon INTRODUCTION: LOTHAS of TSUNGIKI village performed this bounce in the age of old when young warriors from a CHUMPO (popularly known as MORUNG) visited other CHUMPOS in the different KHELS of the village. For the young warriors, this Victory Dance acted both as a fit reminder of the great victories their forefathers had oer their enemies and also as an inspiration for them to replicate in the future. It was a time to take pride from their agone achievements and to encourage and dargon each other for the days to come.\r\nIt prep ard them for the future. Those were the days… THE DANCE: Now, the present propagation performs the Victory Dance on all occasions. save the spirit and zeal of the warriors performing this dance expect as spirited and as full of rubor since times immemorial. Behold! All the young warriors are out of the CHUMPOS bedecked in all their ornamental fineries. Among them hold the round black head-wigs made of the long fuz z from the neck and shoulders of the Himalayan black bear, or of the hide of the arms of the male gibbon.\r\nOn the head-wigs, as warriors of proven valours, are stuck in the feathers of the great bird, the Hornbill. On their arms, they keep up wristlets, bracelets and elbow armlets made of parts of sawn-off tubes of elephants’ tusks. crossways their shoulders are thrown over colourful baldric-like twine strips of cloths. Joined to the end of the baldrics at the waist are the spikes’ holders †the spikes were used during raids over enemy camps. Kneecaps, the LENGTA and the colourfully decorated daos and spears plump their attire.\r\nNow the young warriors testament go some dancing in two rows to finally rush a bent. Singing along and shouting flash cries as they stamp their feet, twirl their daos and spears, they make the circle †an indication of having surrounded their enemies. When they have their enemies surrounded, they thrust up their spears and dare each other not to let any enemy warrior escape from their individual posts or positions. THE SHANTHA: An exciting, and perhaps the most important, part of the Victory dance is the SHANTHA. The name ‘Victory Dance’ rightly belongs to this part-dance at heart the dance.\r\nThe SHANTHA is performed by four of the most-abled warriors. This group acts as the control of the warriors. It also is the rearguard and flanks protection of the warriors. The SHANTHA warriors are also practise to perform many skills and antics. Among them is the biting and holding of their daos on the blunt sides as they hop-skip along †it is genuinely an oath-taking pledge not to die in enemies’ hands. They will also take a stance and hop forwards and backwards challenging their enemies making it overstep what they will do to them with their daos and spears.\r\n'