A Statement of Record by the Jamitsü Ekhüng
Like many tribal communities whose histories have been transmitted primarily through oral traditions rather than written documentation, the historical record of the Jami Lotha clan is preserved largely within the domains of folklore and ancestral memory. Over successive generations, the account of the celebrated warrior Ranphan Jami has undergone a gradual but discernible transition — moving from the sphere of living historical recollection into the enduring realm of legend.
It is within this cultural and historiographical context that the Jamitsü Ekhüng places on formal public record the following account for the information and consideration of all relevant parties. The heroic narrative of the legendary ancestor Ranphan Jami occupies a preeminent position within the oral literary tradition of the Lotha Naga people — a tradition so deeply embedded in collective consciousness that it has found its way into formal school curricula and continues to resonate across generations, captivating audiences young and old alike.
The man-eater of Tiyi Longchüm
According to the received tradition, the events of Ranphan Jami’s story are situated in a now-abandoned Lotha settlement known as Tiyi Longchüm, located in the area corresponding to present-day Nyiro Range. Historical accounts characterize Tiyi Longchüm as a prosperous and thriving village, widely regarded as the cradle of Lotha civilization. Yet this prosperity was shadowed by a persistent and grave menace: a large man-eating tiger that preyed habitually upon both the livestock and the inhabitants of the village. The recurring attacks of this predator engendered a pervasive climate of fear, progressively eroding the security and well-being of the community. As the depredations of the tiger became an ever more intolerable feature of village life, the inhabitants began to contemplate a collective migration to a place of greater safety.
It was at this critical juncture — when plans for relocation were already underway — that the tiger struck with unprecedented ferocity, claiming the lives of nine women in a single day. Among the slain was the wife of Ranphan Jami. Consumed by grief and resolute in purpose, Ranphan Jami swore a solemn oath of vengeance against the man-eater.
Entreating the villagers to suspend their plans for migration, Ranphan Jami set forth alone to confront the predator, armed with nothing but his renowned Yantüng (Machete). With singular resolve, he entered the tiger’s cave and lay among its victims, feigning death, awaiting the beast’s return.
His preparation, however, was anything but passive. He had slipped hollow bamboo sheaths over his fingers. As the tiger returned and settled into sleep, he burst each sheath in succession — one by one — using the sharp crack produced to gauge the depth of the animal’s slumber. Only when the final sheath had been burst without stirring the beast did Ranphan Jami strike, dispatching the tiger with a single blow of his Yantüng.
He emerged victorious; the tiger’s severed head in hand. The village, however, was silent. The inhabitants, having lost faith in any deliverance, had already abandoned Tiyi Longchüm before his return.
For the Jami Lotha clan, this narrative transcends the boundaries of folklore. It stands as an enduring affirmation of the human spirit’s capacity to prevail over destructive forces, and is regarded as nothing less than the defining moment from which their collective identity and civilization first took root.
Resting Place at Jonsü, Longla Village
Among a people whose cultural life has long been governed by ancestral custom and communal memory, the preservation of Ranphan Jami’s burial site is a matter of considerable significance. Located at Jonsü, on the outskirts of Longla village in the Nyiro Range, the grave has been maintained with unbroken reverence across generations. Despite sustained human settlement in the surrounding area, the site remains inviolable — no encroachment has been permitted, and customary prohibitions on human activity at the site continue to be enforced by the guardians of Longla village to this day.
It is therefore a cause for concern that certain quarters have sought to characterize the grave as an abandoned or unidentified burial. Such claims not only lack evidentiary foundation but constitute a direct affront to the living oral tradition and indigenous knowledge of the Longla community. That the site lies at the village periphery has perhaps invited this misidentification; however, it must be unequivocally stated that Ranphan Jami predates the establishment of Longla village itself. The location of his grave at the settlement’s edge is thus not evidence of obscurity or neglect, but a natural consequence of chronology — his resting place marking, in effect, a landscape that existed long before the village rose around it.
Genealogy: Claims and Contested Assertions
While the Jamitsü Ekhüng categorically repudiates any assertion that Ranphan Jami belonged to the Tsopoe clan, it is nonetheless pertinent — in the interest of transparency and general understanding — to place on record the established genealogy of Ranphan Jami. The descendants of Ranphan Jami are today settled across villages of the Lotha middle and lower ranges. For generations, the question of clan identity among his lineage remained uncontested — until 1961, when one descendant of Ranphan Jami settled at Akuk Village advanced a claim of Tsopoe affiliation. It is instructive to note that this claim was not collective: of several brothers within the same generation, only one assumed Tsopoe identity, while the remainder continued to identify as Jami. This selective adoption is itself telling.
The Jamitsü Ekhüng raises no objection to individual members exercising the cultural prerogative of clan adoption. It must be firmly established, however, that such adoption constitutes a social or affiliative transition and carries no bearing on biological descent. Those who have assumed Tsopoe identity remain, by blood and by lineage, of Jami origin — a fact that neither custom nor assertion can alter. In this context, it must be unequivocally understood — by the Lotha community at large, and by the contesting faction in particular — that such affiliative transitions bear no consequence whatsoever upon the established identity of Ranphan Jami or the integrity of his lineage. The historical and genealogical record stands independent of, and undiminished by, any subsequent claims of clan conversion.
Material Relics & Contested Legacy
The renowned Yantüng of Ranphan Jami — the very weapon with which he is said to have slain the man-eater — is preserved to this day at Akuk Village, Wokha district. It rests, notably, in the custody of those descendants of Ranphan Jami who have assumed Tsopoe identity. It is precisely this custodial circumstance that appears to have given rise to the unfounded claim of Tsopoe ownership over the identity and legacy of Ranphan Jami — a claim that conflates the possession of an heirloom with the authority to redefine ancestral lineage. Custody of an artifact, however historically significant, confers no genealogical entitlement.
The Commemorative Stele: A Tribute Rendered in Stone
Against considerable odds, the Jamitsü Ekhüng has succeeded in its determined endeavour to erect a commemorative stele at the identified grave site of Ranphan Jami. Unveiled on June 5, 2026, amid solemn ceremony and communal celebration, the stele stands as a permanent inscription of the warrior’s exploits and an enduring affirmation of his place in Lotha historical memory. Its realisation was made possible through the remarkable foresight and gracious cooperation of the people of Longla village and the landowners of Jonsü, to whom the Jamitsü Ekhüng records its profound gratitude.
The Jamitsü Ekhüng extends an open invitation to all Lothas to visit the site — and expresses the hope that it may, in time, be recognized and developed as a cultural and historical landmark of the Wokha district. To preserve the memory of Ranphan Jami in stone, at the very ground where he rests, is perhaps the most fitting tribute that his descendants could render to their legendary ancestor.
Issued in Public Interest by
Jamitsü Ekhüng
HQ. Wokha
Tuesday, July 21, 2026