Northeast IndiaNortheastFestivals

Nagaland · Tuensang · Sangtam Naga

Chungliyimti

The ancestral settlement site of the Sangtam and the six Ao clans — Nagaland's most actively excavated heritage village.

A Sangtam Naga village in eastern Nagaland
Representative image: a Sangtam village of the kind found around Chungliyimti. — Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 4.0 source

Overview

Chungliyimti in Tuensang district is named in oral tradition as the ancestral settlement of the Sangtam and as the site from which the six clans of the Ao dispersed, marked by the Longtrok six-stone memorial.[1],[2]

Unusually for a Naga heritage site, Chungliyimti has been the subject of community-based archaeological excavation, with pottery and habitation remains recovered in collaborative digs.[3]

History

The Longtrok stones mark the legendary emergence point of the Ao ancestors; the site is cited by the Tuensang district administration among the district's places of interest.[1],[2]

Culture & cultural significance

The site is used for heritage and 'roots' camps by Naga youth and church groups, and Sangtam festivals such as Mongmong are observed in the wider area.[2],[4]

Festivals

  • Mongmong

    Early September

    Sangtam festival observed across the district; not specific to the village.

Lifestyle, cuisine & handicrafts

Cuisine

  • Sangtam smoked meat
  • Bamboo-shoot preparations
  • Millet and rice dishes

Handicrafts

  • Sangtam shawls
  • Bamboo craft

Things to do

  • Visit the Longtrok six-stone memorial and the ancestral settlement site
  • Guided heritage walk on Ao and Sangtam origin narratives
  • Combine with Tuensang town and Mokokchung on a heritage circuit

How to reach

By air
Dimapur (DMU), 250+ km.
By rail
Dimapur (DMV).
By road
Reached via Tuensang town, near the Mokokchung district boundary; hired vehicle recommended.

Best time to visit: October to April.

Nearby attractions & villages

  • Tuensang town

    District headquarters.

  • Mokokchung

    Ao cultural capital on the adjoining district circuit.

  • Ungma

    Oldest Ao village, tied to the same migration story.

Responsible travel guidelines

  • This is an active archaeological site — do not dig, move stones or collect potsherds.
  • Visit with a village-approved guide and ask before photographing ceremonies.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Chungliyimti significant?
Oral tradition names it the ancestral settlement of the Sangtam and the dispersal point of the six Ao clans, marked by the Longtrok stones; it is also the site of community-based archaeological excavation.[1],[2],[3]

Sources

  1. [1]Tuensang district administration — places of interest
  2. [2]Mokokchung Times — the significance of Chungliyimti
  3. [3]Savage Minds — community-based archaeology at Chungliyimti, Nagaland
  4. [4]Mokokchung Times — heritage camp visit to Chungliyimti

Facts on this page are cross-checked against tier-1 (Government of India), tier-2 (state government & tourism boards) and tier-3 (district administration, official festival organisers) sources. Wikipedia is used as a tie-breaker only. Where sources disagree, the page states the ambiguity rather than picking a side.

Last verified 2026-07-29. Facts on this page were confirmed against tier-1/2 sources on that date.

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