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The Phom are a major part of
Aglaja Stirn's and Peter van Ham's
new book on the Naga.
Please click the above icon.
Tours and treks in Nagaland, Manipur and Assam are excellently carried out by

JUNGLE TRAVELS INDIA

located in Gauhati, Assam.
For a most reliable and experienced tour operator, offering fantastic assistance for trips to the Burmese Naga, please visit

MYANMAR EXPLORE

located in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma).
THE

P H O M

Amazing Keepers of Traditions
Bachelors of the Chinggong Pang (clan) at Yongnyah village
after their successful storm of the morung.
The Phom are a Naga group settled between the Konyak in the north-east, the Ao in the west and the Chang in the south. Phom means "cloud”. The name was given them by their neighbours because their territory—hilly terrain in the Longleng area, Tuensang District—supposedly always remained in cloud.

The Phom called themselves Yingnuli, referring to their legendary origin on the peak of the highest mountain in Phom land, Mount Yingnyushang. The habitat of the approximately 15,000 Phom inhabiting 36 villages 13 lies between 650 and 2000 m and is bordered towards the Ao by the Dikhu River and towards the Konyak by the Yangnon. With five clans (pangs) and their respective morungs (bangs), Yongnyah is the largest Phom village. It used to rule over all other Phom settlements.
A Phom warrior next to the 65 skulls preserved by the Phom .
The villages are administered by senior headmen assisted by councils made up of village elders. While Christianity has had an impact on Phom society, it has remained largely traditional due to limited contact with other outsiders. In matters of dress, the Phom tend more towards the Konyak than to the Ao; their traditional clothes are slight, consisting of unique bark loincloths beautifully painted with primitive designs on top of which cane rings are worn.
Among the Phom the old tattooed headhunters
are still held in high esteem.
As their morungs demonstrate, the Phom are also exceptional woodcarvers.
The Phom also had dormitories for girls (yows). Tattoos may still be seen among elder women.
During Mongyu (spring festival) the Phom display their great variety of dances, rituals and traditions.

Click here to reach introductions
to various other Naga groups (COMING SOON)

The Konyak

The Khiamniungan

The Chang

The Yimchunger

The Ao, the Sema, the Sangtam, the Lhota and the Rengma

The Angami

The Chakhesang

The Zeliangrong

The Maram, the Mao and the Poumai

The Pochuri

The Tangkhul

The Burmese Naga