Chang Naga

Chang is a Naga of Nagaland, India. It is one of the recognized Scheduled Tribes.

The tribe was also known as Mazung in British India. Other Naga tribes know the Changs by different names including Changhai (Khiamniungan), Changru (Yimchunger), Duenching (upper Konyak), Machungrr (Ao), Mochumi (Sema) and Mojung (Konyak).

Origin

According to oral tradition, the Changs emerged from a place called Changsangmongko, and later settled at Changsang. The word Chang is said to have derived the word chognu (banyan tree), after a mythical banyan tree that grew at the now-abandoned Changsang.

Another theory says that the Chang migrated to present-day Nagaland from the east, and therefore call themselves Chang ("Eastern" in the local dialect).

Some Changs also claim the Aos as their ancestors. The Chang folklore is similar to that of the Ao.

Demographics

The traditional territory of the Changs lies in the central Tuensang district. Their principal village was Mozungjami/Hakű in Tuensang, from which the tribe expanded to the other villages.