Khonoma is a Western Angami

Naga Naga or NAGA may refer to: Mythology * Nāga, a serpentine deity or race in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions ** Phaya Naga, mythical creatures believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong River ** Naga, another name for Bakunawa, an ...

village located about 20 km west from

Kohima Kohima (; Tenyidie: Kewhira ()) is the capital of the North East Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident population of almost 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state. Kohima constitutes both a district and a municipality. The m ...

, the capital of the

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

n state of

Nagaland Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...

. The village is referred to as ''Khwüno-ra'' (named after the Angami term for a local plant, ''Glouthera fragrantissima''). The total population of the village is about 1943, settled in 424 households. It is the first green village in India.

History

From 1830 to 1880,

Angami Naga The Angamis are a major Naga ethnic group native to the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland. They predominantly inhabit the Kohima District, Chümoukedima District Chümoukedima (), previously spelled Chumukedima, formerly known as Sama ...

warriors from Khonoma fought a series of fierce battles against the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

to stop them from force recruiting Nagas as bonded labourers. On 13 October 1879,

Guybon Henry Damant Guybon Henry Damant (9 May 1846 – 22 November 1879) was a British Political Officer and Ethnographist who served as the Deputy Commissioner of Kohima. In 1879, Damant and 35 of his team men were killed in an ambush by Naga warriors at Khonoma; ...

, a political officer of the Naga Hills, led a troop of 87 British soldiers to Khonoma to enforce a tax and the British recruitment of bonded labour. The British troop was ambushed by the Angami warriors on 14 October and in the ensuing battle, 27 British including Damant were killed. Memorial of G

Thereafter, the British called in reinforcements and laid siege to the tiny village. After holding out for four months, a peace treaty was eventually signed with the British on 27 March 1880. Known as the ' Battle of Khonoma' this was the last organised resistance by the Nagas against the British. In 1890, the British introduced

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

, and over a period of time, most of the villagers became Christians.

Geography

The terrain of the village is hilly, ranging from gentle slopes to steep and rugged hillsides. The hills are covered with lush forestland, rich in various species of flora and fauna. The state bird,

Blyth's tragopan Blyth's tragopan (''Tragopan blythii'') or the grey-bellied tragopan, is a pheasant that is a vulnerable species. The common name commemorates Edward Blyth (1810–1873), English zoologist and Curator of the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Benga ...

, a pheasant now nationally endangered, is found here.

Demographics

Khonoma is a medium size village located in

Sechü Zubza Sechü-Zubza is a town in the Kohima District of the Indian state of Nagaland. It is located 17 km north-west of Kohima Kohima (; Tenyidie: Kewhira ()) is the capital of the North East Indian state of Nagaland. With a resident popul ...

sub-division of Kohima District, Nagaland with total 424 families residing. The Khonoma village has population of 1943 of which 919 are males while 1024 are females as per Population Census 2011. The village is divided into three clans ('' thinuos''), namely Merhü-ma (M-Khel), Semo-ma (S-Khel) and Thevo-ma (T-Khel). Khonoma village has higher literacy rate compared to Nagaland. In 2011, literacy rate of Khonoma village was 83.41% compared to 79.55% of Nagaland. In Khonoma Male literacy stands at 93.72% while female literacy rate was 74.19%.

Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary

In 1998, alarmed after 300 endangered

s (Tragopan blythii) were killed by the villagers in one week as part of a hunting competition, the village council demarcated a 20 sq km area within which hunting was banned and the

Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary or KNCTS is a conservation reserve and a protected area in the Kohima district, Nagaland, India. The total area notified under this park is around ; some of villages and hamlets are adjacent to ...

(KNCTS) was created. In 2005, due to the successful conservation efforts of the village, the village was named India's first "green village".

Notable people

Kevichüsa Angami Kevichüsa Angami (15 April 1903 – 28 December 1990) was an Indian politician and a Member of Parliament, representing Nagaland in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament. He was the first Naga IAS Officer and also the firs ...

, politician (1903 – 1990) *

Zapu Phizo Zapu Phizo (16 May 1904 – 30 April 1990), commonly known as A. Z. Phizo or Angami Zapu Phizo, was a Naga nationalist leader with British nationality. Under his influence, the Naga National Council asserted the right to self-determination whi ...

, leader of

Naga National Council The Naga National Council (NNC) was a political organization and a tribal government of Naga people in the erstwhile Naga Hills District, British India, Naga Hills district of Assam (present-day Nagaland) in Northeast India. It was active from th ...

(1904 –1990) * Theyiechüthie Sakhrie, politician (1908 – 1956) * John Bosco Jasokie, politician (1927 – 2005) * Razhukhrielie Kevichüsa, bureaucrat and musician (1941 – 2022) *

Chalie Kevichüsa Thechazelhu Kevichüsa Meru (; 13 May 1943 – 23 September 1992), commonly known as Chalie Kevichüsa, was an Indian journalist from Nagaland who was also involved in politics. He was the executive editor and publisher of '' Ura Mail'' from Ju ...

, journalist (1943 – 1992) *

Tubu Kevichüsa Perietsü Kevichüsa Meru (; 30 March 1948 – 4 June 1996), commonly known as Tubu Kevichüsa was a politician from Nagaland, India who served as the General Secretary of Naga National Council until his assassination in June 1996 by armed men ...

, politician (1948 – 1996)

References

External links

*{{Wikivoyage-inline, Khonoma Naga people Villages in Kohima district