Gift in the pot earth poetry by J. Longkumer

The village of Chanki, Longjemdang and Japu are located in Mokokchung district in Nagaland, an area inhabited by the Ao tribe. In the olden days when pot making was considered taboo for the Ao tribe and head hunting was the norm, people traveled great distances through dangerous terrain to barter various goods such as cloths made of home spun yarn, vegetables, implements and other useful items considered valuable in those days for a year’s supply of pots made in these three villages.