A person's skull has all the power of the soul, Behind the tradition of tattoos and rituals of hunting human heads

As a child, Phejin sat on his grandfather's lap in front of the fireplace, with a pot of boiling black tea. It was there that Grandpa told his story when he was young that fascinated Phejin. But what impressed him the most were the black tattoos that arched over the eyes, nose, upper lip and chin. His neck, chest, and body are filled with geometric shapes and patterns.

At the age of 4, he began to realize that his grandfather's tattooed body, like the rest of the tribe, was extraordinary.

"All tribes will pass by our house or stay overnight. All have tattoos. I've always believed that tattooed bodies were the norm," he said.

And now, Phejin is writing the book “The Last of Tattooed Headhunters”, documenting the tattoo traditions and rituals of head hunting his ancestors. He collaborated with photographer Peter Bos to explore the changing way of life and culture of this warrior clan.

The Konyaks are an ancient tribe, living in more than 120 villages in India's North East Nagaland state, bordering Myanmar.

This tribe is very individualistic. They once believed in resolving disputes by hunting for heads, beheading their enemies. In addition, the Konyak also hunts the heads of animals such as cows, wild boars and monkeys.

"For hundreds of years, our people were completely isolated, even from mainland India," he said. Change and modernity then swept the Konyak region at an alarming rate.

"I don't deny that change is good, especially when it comes to education. But in Konyak's case, the change was too much and too fast," said Phejin. When he visited the National Museum of Kolkata in August 2014, he realized how much of India's cultural history is on display there. But there is not a single information about the uniqueness of the tribe.

One of the reasons there is not a shred of information about Konyak is the fear of people visiting the territory of these warriors. "It surprises me that even in India, the identity of the Konyak is completely unknown," said Phejin. For him, the voices of the Konyak tribe must be heard.

Long ago, Konyak warriors believed that human skulls had magical powers. The skull is considered to be the place where the 'Yaha' or soul resides. A Konyak warrior believed that if he beheaded it would bring good to his tribe.

A person's skull has all the power of the soul. This soul power is closely affiliated with prosperity and fertility and is used for the benefit of the village, personal life, and agriculture.

And this is where the tattoo tradition begins. A soldier who beheads an enemy will be decorated with a precious neck tattoo. If he's just part of a hunting group and doesn't decapitate him, he'll get a tattoo on his face.

As well as being associated with headhunting for men, the patterns denote clan, representing courage, status and accomplishment. "For women and girls, tattoos mark a transition in life from one phase to the next," adds Phejin. Women also have special tattoos that signify the achievements of the male members of their family.

Changes occurred when the British began to tackle the Assamese tea plantations. In the 1870's, missionaries began establishing schools in the area. Over the next few decades, thousands of people became Christians. The Konyak tribe is no exception. The younger generation began to adopt modern practices and this unique tattoo culture faded away.

Phejin does not completely blame the missionaries. For him, education is important. But missionaries teach that religion is a symbol of rebirth. So that everything that is not related to religion, is "thrown away" just like that. Including Konyak traditions and culture.

In April 2015, Phejin met the warrior with the neck tattoo, Sevenrahpa Chingrahpa. He is 75 years old and lives in the village of Chen Loishu, in a remote part of Mon County. Initially, Chatrahpa refused to be photographed. "Fortunately, we were able to convince him," said Phejin

In several photos in the book, it is evident how the changing times have affected Konyak. There is a photo of an old soldier posing with his grandson. The boy was wearing western clothes which was in stark contrast to what his grandfather was wearing.

Over the centuries, Konyaks have passed down traditions and stories to younger generations. But after its eldest member died, Phejin feared that culture, history and traditions would be lost forever.

This was the reason why he had traveled from village to village in Mon Nagaland county for the past three years. He extracted information from the elders of the Konyak tribe and recorded personal stories, songs, poems, and folk tales.

With the help of photographer Peter Bos, he also documented their unique facial and body tattoos, each signifying each member's tribe, clan and status in society.

Life, headhunting and tattooing are interconnected in Konyak culture. Now the old soldiers and their wives are the last living proof of a living tradition.

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