The Passage of Lines: Ronald Patrick’s Photo Gallery
Negotiating the past
Portraits | 2017
Shot in squared Black & White format using an old Rolleiflex camera, Patrick gives a timeless feel to these portraits of the Konyaks. Hauntingly reminiscent of a time gone by, Patrick is sure to capture something in them that reveals their surprising contemporeinity.
Nonlih Konyak (75), an ex warrior sits in his house in the village of Wasa. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. March 4th, 2016.
Wanggok Konyah (72). an ex Konyak warrior, poses for a portrait in his home in Wasa Village. He got his chest and face tattoo after decapitating enemies of neigbouring villages in times of war. This is a practice of the past, but there’s many elder men who poudly show their trophies. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. March 5th, 2016
Phongjai Wangnao (29) poses for a portrait in his home in Chingdang Village, Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India.Feb 26th, 2016
Wasa, Nagalan, India. Shot With TRI-X at ISO 800
Chiang Dang, Nagaland India. TRI-X 400 shot at 400
Pongloi Konyak (13) sits for a portrait on her aunt’s house close to Shiong Village. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 12th, 2016.
Shiong Village, Nagaland, India. Tri-X shot at 400 ISO
An ex warrior poses for a portrait in his home in Lungwa. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. March 6th, 2016.
Wasa, Nagalan, India. Shot at FP$ shot at ISO 400
Toihon Nangnao (103) sits for a portrait in her home in the village of Chingdang. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 26, 2016.
A young man, son of Wanched, a fire arm hand craft producer, poses for a portrait in his home in Lungwa. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. March 4th, 2016.
Minnyem Konyak (92) poses in her home in the village of Shiong. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 25th, 2016.
Pheangna Mújah Ho (26) Chiang Dang, Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India.Feb 26th, 2016
Long Wa – Nagaland
Chiang Dang, Nagaland India. TRI-X 400 shot at 400
Longwa, Nagalan, India. Shot at FP$ shot at ISO 400
Nonlih Konyak (75), an ex warrior sits in his house in the village of Wasa. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. March 4th, 2016.
Shikna Wangnao (56) poses for a portrait in her home in Chiang Dang. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 26th, 2016.
Khampai Müjah Ho (93). Used to be a warrior. He sits inside his son’s house in the village of Chiang Dang. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 26th, 2016.
Toihi sitting outside of her home in the village of Longwa. The skulls in the background are part of past Animist sacrifices, which are rearly performed now a days, some still happen on special celebrations. Nagaland, India, March 4th, 2016.
Chiang Dang, Nagaland India.
Penwang Konyak (17) poses for a portrit in his home in Shiong Village. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 24th, 2016.
Shiong Village, Nagaland, India. Tri-X shot at 400 ISO
Shiong Village, Nagaland, India. Shot at FP4 shot at ISO 400
Radical changes have affected the life of Konyak tribes in the Northeast state of Nagaland in India. An ancient animistic culture, and feared headhunter warriors not dominated by any other culture in their whole history.
Their westernization started with the coming of the British Colonizers, followed by the Christian missions and more recently the coming of media in all of its forms.
All of these alterations arrived incredibly fast and in an overwhelmingly aggressive way. This changes that once promised prosperity, hope and peace, are now shifting to a complete lost of identity by whipping off their past, burying their traditions and ultimately bringing their whole culture to an end.
——————-Khampai Müjah Ho (93). Used to be a warrior. He sits for a portrait in the village of Chiang Dang. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives. Nagaland, India. Feb 26th, 2016.
JaiLai, a former Head Hunter from Lungwa Village poses for a portrait in his home. It’s been years since the tradition of tattooing disappeared, it ended when the headhunting times stopped with the coming of Christianity. March 3, 2016, Lungwa, Nagaland, India.
Ali (25), poses for a portrait in her home in Shiong Village. Nagaland, India.
Long Wa – Nagaland Shot with TriX at 800 ISO
Long Wa – Nagaland
Shiong Village, Nagaland, India. Tri-X shot at 400 ISO
Longwa, Nagalan, India. Shot at FP$ shot at ISO 400
Changing colours of the Tattooed Tribe
Stills | 2017
British Colonialism and the introduction of Christianity have brought to an end the traditional animistic culture of the Konyaks, especially the violent headhunts, but the last generation of these tattooed warriors still remain. In these coloured photographs, Ronald Patrick captures the changing times, culture and lives of the Konyak people.
Wakching Village’s hospital. Nagaland.
three children pose near a tea plantation in Shiyong Village, Nagaland
A konyak worker coming up hill after burning a field to be planted with rice in the village of Longwa, Nagaland.
Honngo (72 ) the Head Pastor at the Village of Longwa with a Konyak parishioner. The pastors’ tatoo reveals his past as a warrior and Animist. Today he spreads the word of Jesus in his Village in a Baptist Church. Konyak tribes in the State of Nagaland have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way March 4th, 2016.
A boy poses for a portrait near Shiyong Village, Nagaland
A Konyak woman sowing seed on a farm in the village of Shiyong, nagaland
Chingten Konyak (29) poses for a portrait taken in his home in Wakching Village. He is a devoted christian Baptist, who studied Technical Forestry in the state university of Assam. Wakching Village, Nagaland. February 16, 2016.
Two women pray at Wakching’s Baptist church. Watching Willage, Nagaland
Yahnyu Müjah Ho (65), sits in her home in Chingdang Village, Nagaland.
Konyak group of friends play volleyball next to the village Morong, in Lpongwa village.
Christian Service in the chrch of Wakching Village, Nagaland
A cementary in Shiyong Village, Nagaland
Women on their way to Sunday Service in the Village of Wakching, Nagaland.
Trail in the forest between Longwa and Wasa Villages. Nagaland.
Wakching Village traditional house with shrine.
A Konyak woman bringing wood to her home in the village of Wasa, Nagaland.
The leg of of cow was brought to a family house in Shiyong Village. There is a big meat eating culture in Nagaland. Sometimes in special ocations there will be sacrifices of animals to serve the spirits, even though about 95% of the population is Baptist Christian, and this practices are forbidden by christianity. Shiyong Village, Nagaland. February 17th, 2016.
An old Photograph of a villager next to precarious electric instalations in a house near Shiyong Village. Nagaland. Life has definitely changed in this isolated communities with the coming of electricity. At the same time the coming of television has changed the way the families interact amongst them, becoming the center of social conversation and daly life. February 18th, 2016.
Plants and the window of a church in constructoin in the Village of Longwa, Nagaland.
Children watch a game of La Liga Espanola (Spanish League) at a family members house. Shiyong Village, Nagaland. Feb 7th, 2016
Invitees of a weding are seen dancing on the village of Watching, Nagaland.
A konyak Man in his garden in the Village of Longwa, Nagaland.
Villagers from Lungwa smoke opium, heavily introduced by the british in colonial times. Widly popular in the Konyak communities, specialy the ones close to the border with Myanmar. March 3rd 2016. Lungwa, Nagaland, India.
Toihon Nangnao (103), poses for a portrait with is great grand son Pumen Wangnao (1.5) in her home in Chingdang Village, Nagaland
A solar panel is seen atop the traditional palm leaf roof of a house in Longwa Village, Nagaland.
Women carry wood back home after a works day in Shiyong Village, Nagaland.
A konyak woman works together with a group sowing rice in a neighbors field near Shiyong Village
Chicken eat drying rice in a home near Shiyong village.
Children Play atop the hill of Longwa village. Nagaland.
A man unloads his gun in his house in Shiyong Village, Nagaland
A man stares out of his home by night in Shiyong Village, Nagaland. Is not long ago that permanent power arrived to this village. The coming of electricity is reshaping the way families interact and socialise. February 19th, 2016.
Khampai Müjah Ho (93), an ex Naga warrioir, sits at his son’s house in Chingdang Village, Nagaland. February 26, 2016.
two konyak women carry wood and belongings back home after a day’s work near Shiyong Village, Nagaland.
A devote young Baptist Christian woman attends service at Lungwa Village Baptist Church. More than 90% of the population in this village is said to be Christian Baptist. Most of the activities of the community will be organised by the church, including the labour in the fields, where part of the money will go to the church. February 28th, 2016.
A woman konyak woman walks on one of the streets on a rainy day in Wakching Village, Nagaland
A man cooks the recently sacrificed pork for everybody working at the rice field near Shiyong Village, Nagaland.
A grave of a Konyak – CHristian man in Chingdang Village, Nagaland.
Minnyem Konyak (92) sits at her traditional kitchen in the village of Shiyong Village, Nagaland. February 25th, 2016.
Chingin Konyak (87) sits by the fire in his home in Wakching Village, Nagaland
Mural inside a morong in the village of Longwa, Nagaland
Workers make bricks out of stone for the construction of a new church in the Vilage of Wasa, Nagaland.
Two children in the terrace of Wakching Village’s Morong (comunal center), Nagaland.
Workers organized by the Christian Baptist church of Shiyong Village, sowing rice in a nearby farm
It’s long ago that headhunting raids came to an end in Nagaland hill territories. The tatoos in their skins are reminders of those violent times, but also proof of their culture and rich traditions. Animist Konyak tribes have been exposed to radical changes in their recent history, including British colonialism, the coming of Christianity in a very aggressive way and lately the rush of technology into their lives, putting their identity in jeopardy.
In this odd and ever changing environment, still their deep-rooted traditions persist in Konyak’s daily life; it’s a silent struggle against what has been imposed to them; a false sense of belonging to a world that has been sold to them as the right one.
The fight is unbalanced, filled with false promises that do not address the real problems in this isolated communities, or deals with them in a precarious way.
As with countless other cultures, it seems inevitable that the ink in their blood will dilute and so will their incredible traditions, to merge into a globalized standard of living. —–
JaiLai, a former Head Hunter from Lungwa Village poses for a portrait next to his grand sons in his home. It’s been years since the tradition of tattooing disappeared, it ended when the headhunting times stopped with the coming of Christianity. Other traditions are also coming to an end like the way their houses are being built. Today more and more houses are built using tin roofs, nevertheless some still construct in the traditional way; there stacks of palm leafs will be used to repair their roof. March 3, 2016, Lungwa, Nagaland, India.
Decorations on a Morong in Wakching Village.
Children play football in front ofthe Morong (comunal house) in the village of Wakching, Nagaland.
Children look at the sicirifice of a pig in Shiyong Village, Nagaland
A Konyak woman prepares dinner in her home in the village of Wasa, Nagaland.
Wakching Village from attop. Nagaland
Shiyong Village
A woman poses for a portrait while working on a nearby farm. Shiyong Village
Pheangna Mújah Ho (26), a Theology student poses for a portrait in her home in Chingdang Village, Nagaland.
Konyak woman return home after a day of work near the village of Shiyong, Nagaland
A church build of stone is under construction in the Konyak town of Wasa, March 5th, 2016
Chingin Konyak (87), stands in the porch of his family house in Wakching Village, Nagaland
House lit at night in Shiyong Village, Nagaland.
A father and daghter in their kitchen in Shiyong Village, Nagaland.
Road to Shiyong Village, Nagaland
Children look back during christian sercvice at Shiyong Village Baptist Church. Nagaland.
Chingdang Village, Shikna Wangnao (56), Phongjai Wangnao (29), Toihon Wangnao (103) pose for their family portrait in the village of Chingdang, Nagaland
People Attending to Christian sevice on a sunday in the village of Longwa.
Drying rice in Chingdang Village, nagaland
A Konyak man walks in a forest near Shiyong Village, Nagaland.
