page_title: Dima Hasao district
section_title: Zeme Nagas
hierarchical_section_title: Dima Hasao district / Culture / Zeme Nagas
caption_attribution_description: English: Tin Kilo (three kilometer) is neighbouring village of umrangso
context_page_description: Dima Hasao district, earlier called North Cachar Hills district, is an administrative district in the state of Assam in Northeastern India. As of 2011, it is the least populous district of Assam.
  Dima Hasao district is one of the two Autonomous hill districts of the state of Assam. The district headquarter Haflong is the only hill station in Assam, a tourist paradise, also named the Switzerland of the north-east.
context_section_description: The Zemes are distributed in the southern region of Dima Hasao. They are classified by the anthropologists as one of the sub-tribes of the Kacha Nagas. The Zemes living in Nagaland call themselves Zeliang and those of the Manipur borders are known as Zeliangrong. 
  Originally they migrated from Nagaland via Manipur and settled down in the north-eastern part of N.C. Hills and south of Maibang, the ancient capital of the Kachari kings.  They also settled as far as the bank of the river Kopili. With the decline of the Kachari power, the Zemes became easy victims of the depredations of the mighty Angami Nagas in the neighbourhood. As a result, some of the Zemes migrated to the west and settled in the hills beyond the Diyung valley. They speak their own Zeme dialect and are living peacefully along with the other tribes like Dimasa Kachari, Kuki, Hmar for more than two centuries. The Zemes are well built, strong ang healthy with thick black hair and a fair complexion.
  The Zeme villages are on the breezy hill-tops. Each village has dormitories for young boys and girls. The boys’ dormitories are called Hangseuki and the girls’ are known as Leuseuki. All the young unmarried boys and girls spend the night in their respective dormitories. As soon as one is married he or she ceases to be a member of the dormitory which are considered as centers of learning as well as village recreational activities. The girls are taught weaving, spinning, singing and dancing etc. and the boys are taught wrestling, hunting and making of handicrafts. These dormitories also serve as guest houses.
  Though a small section of the Zemes have been converted to Christianity, the larger section still honour their traditional festivals connected with agricultural activities and other social institutions. They celebrate some six important festivals during the year.
  Youth dormitories play an important role in celebrating their festivals. The main festivals are – Helei-bambe, Nchang-bambe, Pokpat-ngi, Engkamngi, Siami and Hega-ngi – mostly connected with agricultural activities.
  Of the folk dances of the Zemes the popular ones are – Herepilim, Johumpeselim, Kan'guibelim, Kerapsaplim, Hakalim, Nbzchuinelim etc.
  In their songs and dance performances they use their traditional musical instruments – 'Nsum, Ntoi, Metiam, Hemeu, 'Nra, Kebuike etc.
  The Zeme traditional male dresses are named as Heni, Njingni, Heteuba, Mpakphai, Peranphai, Lauhepai, etc. The young boys decorate their legs with rice powder paste and tie cane ropes just below the knee. The girls wear Mini Hegiangnine, Paimang, Paitik, Pilim etc. and ornaments made of silver, brass and colourful bird feathers for the earlobes.
caption: Tin Kilo village near Umrangso
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