Walking in Longwa, perched on the Indo-Myanmar border, is an intriguing journey. This extraordinary village, located in the Mon district of Nagaland, is home to the Konyak tribe, where families live with one foot in India and the other in Myanmar. There are no clear lines; you could as easily walk into Myanmar, catch the sunrise and walk back to India for your breakfast.
This is why Longwa’s unique location and fascinating culture make it a destination of intrigue for travellers who want to understand how life is on the fringes of two nations. Living Between Borders What makes Longwa truly interesting is that the international border between India and Myanmar runs right through the village, even cutting through the chief's (Angh's) house! This means that the kitchen might be in India while the bedroom is in Myanmar! The residents of Longwa don’t need passports to cross from one side to the other; for them, this border is just an invisible line that doesn't impact their day-to-day lives. The villagers freely move between both countries, farming on one side and residing on the other, with no concerns about visas or customs.
Longwa is inhabited by the Konyak tribe, one of the largest and most well-known tribes in Nagaland, famed for their history as fierce headhunters. While headhunting is a practice long left in the past, remnants of the Konyak warriors' traditions can still be seen today. The older generation of men, known for their elaborate facial tattoos and large ear p.