It was a nice relaxing weekend in Kohima. There were three backpacker guests in Morong Lodge and I used the time to get ready for the final trip in Nagaland and get up to date on the blog. Langa Chuba arrived on Sunday and by the evening I was all packed and ready.


On Monday morning we both met up at the sumo kiosk in Kohima, but it was closed . The only option was therefore the bus. I am unsure as to why I have so many problems with transport leaving Kohima (cancelled buses, sumos which don't turn up) but strangely I do! Waiting at the bus station in Kohima I met Dave from Cheltenham. In his 70s he was visiting the battlefields of Nagaland and Manipur having seen those in Burma the year before.


Our bus soon arrived, looking again somewhat the worse for wear and, Langa and I climbed aboard. This was to turn out to be six and a half hours of dusty bumpy hell. I was regretting not buying a mask. When our fellow passengers got over the shock of seeing a foreigner on the bus they all became quite talkative. This unfortunately included a guy in his early twenties who was so drunk (at 6.45am) that he fell off his hair and bashed his head on the metal floor. Luckily, he was fine. The conductor was a nice guy and explained to both Langa and myself that he rode this bus on these appalling dusty roads every day . I guessed his life expectancy would be low. Unfortunately even this information would never persuade the Nagaland government ministers to stop stealing from the road maintenance budget. Of course either all the windows were open or broken, and the holes in the floor ensured the bus was chocking with dust. This is the same with almost all the Nagaland buses. I started wishing this state had a leader like the President of Botswana who made all the government ministers travel by public transport and immediately the roads and the vehicles improved. 


On entering the Sumi tribe’s territory, we passed (for my fist time in Nagaland) statues of those who had fought and died in the war against the Indians. It soon appeared that the Sumi’s were indeed a hotbed of the independence movement and all of a sudden the Indian Army presence visibly increased.


Even though the dust was bad it did not deter from the great scenery on the road . The sweeping valleys hairpin bends and small villages were dramatic in this setting. At first there were plenty of rice paddies but these soon gave way to more farming plots, burnt fields (from slash and burn) and banana plantations. The road got narrow and more rutted. We completed the journey at Zunheboto just after two o'clock having averaged about 18km an hour, still twice the speed of the worst roads in the north of Nagaland.


We managed to grab a taxi in the dusty streets and headed up a small hill in the centre of town to the Circuit House. This hill was certainly advantageous as on top we were above all the dust below. Actually the town of Zunheboto was actually quite nice underneath the thick layers of dust with quite modern housing and some nice schools plus other amenities. It was just the dust from the road that ruined it. However up on the hill, we were spared this unpleasantness. The Circuit House was well built and had an amazing view. However the owner had obviously refurbished the building and in the process constructed four brand new units opposite across a nice gravel courtyard.


These units were the cleanest and most comfortable I had so far seen in Nagaland. Spotless, with powerful hot water geysers, good thick mattress, tea making facilities, ample room and good windows and other fittings. It was certainly impressive. The prices though were also the highest I had encountered in Nagaland. Nevertheless I decided to stay. That decision turned out to be wise as the owner and his wife were so friendly. Khehoshi Yeptho turned out to be the Vice President of the Sumi Hoho (in other words he was selected as the vice president of the tribe). Consequently everyone knew who he was and as he said “ I am a very busy man.”  He was though very kind and was only too pleased to explain the Sumi culture, history and talk about the area. He was also quick to plan suggested excursions to see areas of interest and then kindly offered to drive me and Langa.


However first things first, he said there was an important wedding the following day and we could attend as his guests. He then said that he would take us to his father’s house, where his brother lived. So we piled into his 4x4 and drove off through the dusty town, stopping off for my second futile attempt to find a working ATM. Zunheboto, like most Naga towns was built along a hill ridge and his brother was living at the other end of the ridge in their father’s home. It was quickly apparent that Khehosi’s father was a hugely important man. He had died only a few years before at the ripe age of 114. He was the founder of Zunheboto and like Steve Odyuo’s father was the translator for the British. Khehosi told this interesting story of how his father was contacted by Mr Mills, the Sub Divisional Officer of Mokokchung at the time of his wedding and sent a “generous” gift of Rs50 (“a lot of money those days”). His father kept half of the gift but decided to hold a huge feast for the people of Zunheboto with that money purchasing over 50 Mithunes for the feast. His brother showed us their father’s hugely impressive shawl, spears and other belongings. We were also shown his grave and around his house. Whilst at his father’s house, we became aware that there seemed to be some crisis brewing in the region so Khehosi dropped us back in town and he sped off. After a look around and another futile ATM attempt, we headed back to the Circuit House. That night the girls working at the house cooked us the most fabulous Sumi meal with Pork with Axone (fermented soya bean), steamed Yam, sesame seed with Mithune and rice.


The next morning after breakfast we were met by a very smart Khehosi and bundled back into the 4x4 and off to the wedding we went. We did though arrive too early, so Khehosi thought we should visit a local school whilst we waiting for the other guests to arrive. At this incredibly clean school we met some of the staff and some genuinely shocked pupils and students. The kindergarten children all greeted me in English. Back at the wedding the other guests were starting to arrived in the town hall. A great deal of preparation had gone into the hall and we were entertained whilst we awaited the bride by a lady on the electric organ.


Actually it was not that dissimilar from a British wedding. The guests were all given allotted by a Naga Usher. The groom was seated on the stage at the front looking straight down at the aisle and opposite the lady playing the electric piano and the huge wedding cake was seated, the minister. Actually the big difference of course was what everyone was wearing, especially the older generation. Some of the ladies Meklas (ladies shawls) were amazing. Most the older men were wearing traditional attire like the Sumo tribal jackets decorated with the Corey shells. Everyone looked amazing (except Langa and I who were wearing our dusty bus attire).


The service was quite short in Sumi language with just one hymn. Afterwards the married couple remained on stage and everyone filed past shaking their hands. “Thanks for coming” they both said. Leaving we were given a packed lunch and I had a quick look at all the exquisite traditional shawls and textiles they had been given as wedding presents.


Khehosi again dropped us in the town centre. This time after another unsuccessful visit to the ATM and some terrific samosas, we found a friendly taxi and headed off to see the villages on the list that Khehosi had given me. The first was Nito Mount and the Baptist Misson which proved rather deserted. I was hoping to find someone to chat too about history, but no one was around. “Maybe all at the wedding,” Langa remarked


Next we arrived at the village of Old Natha just in the south of Zunheboto. Here the taxi man drove us right into the old village. This was just a cluster of houses on a small hillock with a great view of Zunheboto. A short walk around revealed as the locals working on their houses. there was an old carpenter working some wood in his garden. His wife seemed thrilled to see us and ran inside her cottage returning with her son who appeared less than thrilled to be paraded outside. She meanwhile told me she had over 45 grandchildren. “Four football teams,” I remarked and she fell about laughing. One of her next-door neighbours was busy unthreading many old beads in preparation to sew onto a Mekla. She kindly made us some tea. However the clouds were gathering and we felt we should go back as it was getting quite dark.


We met Khehosi back at the Zunheboto Guest House and he seemed overjoyed at the prospect of rain. He then took me on short walk of his colony (community) before he invited Langa and myself into his office and showed us his photos. The Nov 14th Festival of the Sumi looked great judging by his photos and one for the future. Soon he and his wife had all his shawls and her Meklas out and her collection of Meklas and Shawls were stunning. Next she produced her dried jungle fruits whilst Khehosi started writing a program for the following morning.


That night his staff produced another memorable meal of Pork with Axone, braised ladies finger, dried Axone chutney, boiled Chicken with rice. The next morning we were up early and ready for the excursion we had discussed with Khehosi. However it soon transpired that again all was not well and the crisis which had been boiling in the region had boiled over the previous night. It transpired that one of the “factions” or Nagaland armed groups had renounced the cease fire that had been in operation in Nagaland since 2012 and left their base. This was in response to something the Indian government had said and it seemed that the ceasefire was under threat. Khehosi was involved in negotiating between the army and this faction. As a result he had left early in the morning. It was now obvious our planned expedition for the morning was not going to happen. Actually at that moment we were both unaware how important this development was.


Back in the town, finally we got into the bank (after several hours) and saw the bank manager who promised that the ATM would be filled with money - soon. Sure enough some 40 mins I got some cash - finally. When we went back to the Zunheboto Guesthouse, Khehosi was out, but we said goodbye to his wife and headed down to the bus station, next stop Mokokchung.