The Khiamniungan tribe, also known as the Khiamniungan Naga, are a Tibeto-Burmeseethnic group, with approximately 35% of the population inhabiting in Noklak District in the Northeast Indian state of Nagaland and the rest in Naga Self Administered Zone and Hkhamti district of Myanmar. They were also called Kalyo-Kengnyu (“slate-house dwellers”) during the British Raj. The origin of the Khiamniungans remains uncertain. There are no written records of their history before the British Raj days. However, the only source of information about their ancestors are oral traditions in the form of folktales and myths. According to a popular myth, Khiamniungan means “source of great waters” – the place from where the early ancestors of Khiamniungan are said to have originated. This place is identified near Lengnyu-Tsuwao villages, under Pathso Range, overlooking from the present-day Noklak and Pathso towns.
Khiamniungan is a major tribe among many other Naga major tribes found in Nagaland, India. These people were considered great Warriors before the advent of the Christianity in Nagaland at the time of headhunting Practices. Moreover, these people are also called ‘Water People’. In order to understand the real meaning of Khiamniungan, it would be desirable to split/asunder these three syllables which have its own different specific meanings for further explicit interpretations. The word ‘Khiam’ denotes Water, ‘Niu’-Great, and ‘ngan’- Source. Similarly, the alternatives names of this tribe are “Aoshedd, Kalyo-Kengnyu, Khiamngan, Khiamniungan, Nokaw, Tukhemmi, Welam.” Also in Myanmar: Makware, Nokaw, Para, Tukhemmi, Welam.
Khiamniungan is one of the major Naga tribes, inhabiting the Tuensang and Noklak districts and the adjoining areas of Myanmar. Khiamniungan literally translates to source of great waters. Farming is one of the primary occupations of the people of this region. The Khiamniungan tribals, who traditionally practised jhum cultivation (slash and burn agriculture), celebrate the Miu festival at the time of sowing. Tsokum is another week-long harvest festival of the tribe, celebrated in October. The festival includes dancing, singing, cleaning, repair of the roads, and outdoor cooking and eating. In this festival the people invoke god’s blessing for a bountiful harvest. Synchronized dances are performed during the many festivals of the Khiamnuingan tribe.
The Khiamniungan tribe is one of the major tribe among the Nagas, with habitation both in India and Myanmar. Geographically, the land of Khiamniungans is located in the Eastern part of Nagaland and in the North-Western part of Myanmar. The nomenclature of the tribe ‘ Khiamniungan’ is a compound word formed by three words: ‘Khiam’ means water, ‘Niu’ means great and ‘Ngan’ means source. Thus, the meaning of the term Khiamniungan is ‘source of great water or river’. The nomenclature derives from the biggest river of the land (laang) and to the river to which it ultimately confluence (Chindwin). The main river formed from the watershed of Khiamniungan area is ‘Laang’ known as ‘Zungki’ in the downstream that ultimately flows into the Chindwin river in Myanmar. Some earlier written sources wrongly referred to the Khiamniungans as ‘Kalyo-Kengnyu’ named after the snow clad mountain of patkoi ranges locally known as Khulioking. The people of Khiamniungan trace back their origin to a place called ‘Khiamngan’. Legend says that there was a great flood. There upon people began to go up into higher elevation. As the flood subsides they descend downhill and started the first settlement of the new era at ‘Khiamngan’. The Khiamniungans after living for three consecutive generations in Khiamngan gradually moved to different directions to form several hamlets/villages. One group migrated to a place known as Lumoking and further to formed Pathso and Peshu ranges. Likewise another group migrated to Nokhu thangsoun and gradually wemt northward to form the present Thang and Wolam ranges. Whereas, one group who got settled at a place known as Shiadkhan and finally to form Nokhu range. Later on with the increase of population, migration to the further East started and eventually extended up to the Northern bank of Chuhoongan (Chindwin) river and beyond in Myanmar.
Miu is another Naga festival celebrated by the Khiamniungan Nagas, a minority tribe in Nagaland. It is among the important and popular festivals of Nagaland. The Khiamniungan are traditional practitioners of Jhum cultivation. Jhum cultivation is basically slash and burn style of agricultural method used for farming. The festival is celebrated with great pomp and honors the old traditions and culture of the Khiamniungan tribe. Mostly, the festival can be seen unraveling in parts of North East India, especially in Tuesang district of Nagaland. It celebrates the anticipation of a well expected harvest. Miu is celebrated with enthusiasm at the time of sowing for a new harvest. People offer their utmost sincere prayers to God to look after their cultivation and bless their crops. The people express their appreciation and thanks in the form of the many rituals and ceremonies that include the luxury of dancing, singing, and feasting together as a united community. The tourism of Nagaland heavily relies on its bright harvest festivals that exude the cultural heritage and ethnicity of Nagaland. When spending holidays in Nagaland, it is essential to visit and experience at least one harvest festival of the Nagas. This festival works in favor of bringing relatives and families together. It especially signifies the bond shared by maternal uncles with their respective niece and nephews. On this particular occasion there arises a chance for forging stronger relations between uncles and their nieces or nephews. The uncles offer prayers and evoke a powerful deity to look after and bless their sister’s children. It includes merrymaking, holistic rituals and an organized feat of feasts. The festival is also a prayer offered at the time of sowing new harvest and hoping for a successful harvest in the coming season.
This festival is held in the first week of May every year.One of the main significance of this festival is to build cordial relationsand to forge close-knit relations between the maternal uncle and his sister’s off springs i.e., nephews and nieces. It is during this festival that the maternal uncle offers a very special prayer by invoking the supernatural Deityto grant good health, prosperous life and power over enemy to his nephews and nieces. On this occasion, nieces and nephews visit their Maternal Uncle with gifts such as Clothes, Dao’s and other things besides food items like fermented brews, sticky rice and cooked or uncooked meat. This is also a very special occasion of FORGIVE and FORGET between Maternal Uncle and his nieces or nephews. But if the difference or dispute is beyond pardonable on the part of Maternal Uncle, he will not allow his nieces and nephews to visit his house for getting blessing. In the event of such happenings it is believed thatthe future life of his nieces and nephews will lay in shambles. But refusing togive blessing is a very rare case. The significance of this festival is also to mark the seedling in the new field in which all the families of the village go to the infield sand perform rituals and prayer by offering animal blood and flesh with other food stuff to their Deity. The people also pray to bless them with strong,handsome and beautiful children. They too pray for increase of animals and grains in the field and ask for prevention of crops from damage and visitation of plague over human and animals.
Indigenous Peoples Literature 
