Tuensang The Living Stones & Chang Morungs

Tuensang District, bordering Myanmar in the eastern part of Nagaland, is the traditional homeland of the Chang Naga tribe (along with Sangtam, Yimkhiung, and Phom Naga groups). Famed for its steep, high ridges and deep historical weight, Tuensang is considered by many tribes to be the geographic cradle from which early migrations across the Naga hills began. Here, village life moves at a slow pace, and the valleys hold archaeological sites that date back to ancient animist histories.

The cultural jewel of the district is the **Living Stones of Longtrok**, located near the village of Chungliyimti (on the border with Mokokchung). The word *Longtrok* means "six stones" in the local Sangtam dialect. These six ancient stone monoliths are believed to be the ancestral birthplace of the Naga clans. According to folklore, six spirits (three male and three female) emerged from these stones, and from them grew the early humans who established the first spired villages in the hills. The stones are treated with deep respect, believed to hold the life-force (*li*) of the ancestors.

Outside of mythology, Tuensang is a living museum of tribal crafts. In Chang villages, the *morung* community halls are massive wooden structures decorated with intricate carvings of buffalo heads, hornbill feathers, and warriors' shields. The village of **Tsadang** is famous for its traditional blacksmiths who forge swords (daos) and agricultural tools using simple charcoal hearths and bamboo bellows. For slow travelers, Tuensang offers an offbeat look at ancient origins, raw landscapes, and untouched tribal architecture.