Zeliang Dance of Nagaland

Nagaland is a state inhabited by some of the bravest war tribes found in India. One such tribe is Zeliangrong Naga found in the hilly terrain of Mount Barail in Nagaland. This tribe is famous for its artistic dance form called the Zeliang dance.

In Nagaland, most dances are male-dominated. However, the Zeliangrong tribe give equal status to the women, and they are allowed to be a part of the Zeliang dance form.

Purpose of Zeliang Dance

The Zeliangrong tribe have three distinct categories of dances, festive, religious and war. Zeliang dance form is a festival dance performed for the amusement of the crowd. The clapping and chanting of the group radiate energy through the dancers and the viewers. It is a celebration of unity and is an inspiration to the tribe.

Performance of Zeliang Dance

The dance takes place on dry ground. Nowadays, they even set up stages for performance. The dancers enter the dancing ground in a row. They captivate the audience with some peculiar movements as they enter. Once all the performers have positioned, they form a circle or some other geometry.

The prime elements of the dance move include upright upper body and forceful stomping of the feet. The dance begins by moving the feet with the beats of the drum. The dancers lift and stamp their feet on the ground with each drumbeat, and they move forward in the circle as they do so.

The dancers clap their hands and recite hymns in chorus throughout the dance. The group moves till they complete one round and then repeat the steps. The colourful attires and the songs chanted makes this performance a wonderful show to watch.

Dance Costume

The costumes worn by the Naga tribes are very colourful and unique. The men wear a loincloth decorated with thread work. The cloth is supported with a plain white cloth tied around the waist. A stocking type thing is worn to cover the portion of the leg from ankle to knee. The chunky metal jewellery is the highlight of their look. The headgears are elaborate having multiple rings of colourful cloth. Bamboo sticks of attached circularly, and on one side a tuft of feathers are tucked in.

The women wear a blouse and skirt that extend up to their knees. They also wear silver necklaces, earrings, armlets and anklets. All dancers are barefoot.

Instruments Used

The most common instrument is the drum. The dancers move to the beats of the drum. These drums have masking of animal skin with wood underneath. Jemji is a horn used in many performances. Other than these instruments made from bamboo are quite popular.

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