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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Ao
| image = Aos 2219b.jpg
| image_caption = Ao woman in traditional attire
| popplace = {{flag|India}}
| region1 = [[Nagaland]]
| pop1 = 226,625
| ref1 = <ref name="census">{{cite web|title=A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/ST.html|website=censusindia.gov.in|publisher=Government of India|access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref>
| languages = [[Ao language]] ([[Mongsen Ao language|Mongsen]], [[Chungli Ao language|Chungli]])
| religions = [[Animism]] (historical), [[Protestantism]] (chiefly [[Baptist]])
| related = Other [[Naga people]]
| footnotes =
| native_name = Aor
| native_name_lang =
}}

[[File:Ao tribesman at his village for festival celebration Nagaland India.jpg|thumb|Ao man in [[Chuchuyimlang]] village]]

The '''Ao Nagas''' are a major [[Naga people|Naga]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mills |first1=JP |title=Ao Nagas (1926)}}</ref> [[ethnic group]] native to [[Mokokchung District]] of [[Nagaland]], [[Northeast India]]. Their main territory is from Tsula (Dikhu) Valley in the east to Tsurang (Disai) Valley in the west in Mokokchung district.

The Ao Nagas refer to themselves as ''Aoer'', which means "those who came" from across the [[Dikhow River|Dikhu river]].<ref name="Dhanaraju">{{Cite journal|last=Dhanaraju|first=Dr. Vulli|date=2019|title=Cultural History of Beliefs and Rituals: A Study of Ao-Naga Tribe of Nagaland, India|url=https://journals.eduindex.org/index.php/hrj/article/view/8713/4569|journal=History Research Journal|volume=5}}</ref>

They were the first Nagas to embrace Christianity and by virtue of this development the Aos availed themselves of the Western education that came along with Christianity. In the process the Aos pioneered among the Nagas in many fields. Christianity first entered into the Ao territory when an American Baptist missionary, [[Edwin W. Clark]], reached an Ao village called Molungkimong in 1872.

== Distribution ==
The total population of Ao Nagas in Nagaland is almost 227,000 according to the 2011 census. Ao Nagas are found in the northern part of Nagaland, mostly in the central [[Mokokchung District]] and also a few are found in the adjacent [[Assam]] state.

===Tzurangkong Range===
They lay adjoining the plains of ''Assam'' mostly along the valley of ''Dissai'' and ''Jhanzi'' rivers just before they flow into the plains of ''Assam''. These hillocks are densely covered with bamboos and the climate of the entire range is warm.

===Japukong Range===
It is the outermost range stretching from north-east to south-west lying to the interior south of ''Tzurangkong Range''.

===Jangpetkong Range===
This is a parallel range east of the ''Japukong Range''.

===Asetkong Range===
It is a central range running from east to west but compared to the other ranges, it is the shortest one. This range lies between ''Melak'' and ''Menung'' rivers, and therefore, it resembles an island. Hence the name ''Asetkong (Aset meaning Island)''

===Langpangkong Range===
{{Main|Langpangkong Range}}
It is the easternmost range skirting along the course of ''Dikhu River''. The river forms a natural boundary line of ''Mokokchung'' with [[Tuensang District|Tuensang]] and [[Mon District|Mon]] districts. This range is spread like a bed and so the name has been aptly given to this range. ''(Langpang means bed)''

===Onpangkong Range===
It is the southernmost range forming an irregular boundary of the Ao area with that of the [[Lothas]] and [[Sumi Naga|Semas]] to the south and with the [[Sangtam Naga|Sangtams]] to the east. It is called ''Ongpangkong'' as the land is higher and cooler than the other ranges. ''(Ongpang means higher)''

==Culture==
===Religion===
The traditional Ao religion is [[Animism|animist]], holding that spirits, both benevolent and malicious, must be appealed to and placated through ceremony and sacrifice. Among the Ao deities, Lichaba, the [[Creator deity|creator]], is revered most highly.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jamir|first=P. Supong|date=2016|title=The Ao Naga Traditional Indigenous and Religious Beliefs|url=http://fac.ac.in/facj/01-FACJ-6-2016.pdf|journal=Fazl Ali College Journal|volume=6}}</ref>

[[Edwin W. Clark]], an American missionary traveled to Nagaland in 1872 with the intention to carry out missionary work in the country. Clark approached his work among the Ao as a [[civilizing mission]], seeking to replace traditional culture and language with that of the West.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} The first family to covert to Christianity was the "Aier" family. The youngest family members now are tamjanminla and narochungla.<ref>naga_family_records_2010</ref>

Since the 19th century, the majority of Ao have converted to Christianity. Many Ao people, however continue to practice traditional animist festivals and rituals removed from their religious contexts.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

===Festivals===
====Moatsu Festival (Sowing festival)====
The Moatsu Festival is observed in the first week of May every year, after the sowing is done. The festival provides a period of recreation and entertainment after the stressful work of clearing fields, burning jungles and sowing seeds.<ref name="Mokokchung">{{Cite web|url=https://mokokchung.nic.in/culture-heritage/|title=Culture & Heritage|publisher=Govt of Nagaland}}</ref>

====Tsungremong (Harvest festival)====
The Tsungremong festival is the biggest festival of the community and is celebrated immediately after the harvest of the crop. The festival is marked by offering prayers to God, singing, dancing and feasting.<ref name="Mokokchung"/>

===Cuisine===
Traditional Ao cuisine is characteristically non-vegetarian food, preferably cooked by boiling instead of frying. Pork meat is the most popular meat and mostly cooked with fermented bamboo shoots. Food flavors are enhanced through local herbal ingredients and spices. Ao cuisine tends to be spicy in nature.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bhardwaj |first=Sushma|title=Exotic Cuisine of Nagaland: Methods of Cooking and the Medicinal Value of Their Edible Flora and Fauna|url=http://journals.du.ac.in/ugresearch/pdf/J22.pdf|journal=DU Journal of Undergraduate Research and Innovation}}</ref>

===Handicrafts===
'''Weaving''' is traditionally done by the women who design and weave exquisite patterns in their shawls, sling bags, headgears and wraparound garments (commonly called ''Mekhala'').<ref name="Mokokchung1">{{Cite web|url=https://mokokchung.nic.in/handicraft-2/|title=Handicraft|publisher=Govt of Nagaland}}</ref>

'''Cane and bamboo products''' are used for making mats, basketry, mugs and plates, sofas, head bands, leg guards, bangles, neck bands, necklace, armlets, leggings, Fish Traps and Fish Baskets etc.<ref name="Mokokchung1"/>

'''Wood Carvings''' of human beings, hornbill, mithun head, elephants, tiger and other animals which are displayed at the entrance of the village gates or front doors or porch of the houses.<ref name="Mokokchung1"/>

'''Traditional Ornaments''' worn by both men and women specially during festive occasions, including necklaces, earrings, armlets and bracelets and headgears etc. These are usually made out of beads, brass, bones and horns of animals, boar’s teeth, ivory, shells and precious stones and metals.<ref name="Mokokchung1"/>

'''Pottery''' used for cooking and storing water and other items and are made out of a special type of soils/clay.<ref name="Mokokchung1"/>

'''Metal Work''' consisting of agricultural implements, ornaments, weapons for hunting and war, like spears and the [[Dao (Naga sword)]].<ref name="Mokokchung1"/>

==See also==
* [[Ao language]]
* [[Naga people]]
* [[Moatsü]]
* [[Tsüngkotepsü - The Ao Naga Shawl]]

==Bibliography==
* Mills, J. P. (1926). ''The Ao Nagas''. London: Macmillan and Co.
* Smith, William C. (2002). ''The Ao-Naga tribe of Assam''. New Delhi: Mittal.
* Oppitz, Michael, Thomas Kaiser, Alban von Stockhausen & Marion Wettstein. 2008. ''Naga Identities: Changing Local Cultures in the Northeast of India''. Gent: Snoeck Publishers.
* Kunz, Richard & Vibha Joshi. 2008. ''Naga – A Forgotten Mountain Region Rediscovered''. Basel: Merian.
* von Stockhausen, Alban. 2014. ''Imag(in)ing the Nagas: The Pictorial Ethnography of Hans-Eberhard Kauffmann and Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf''. Arnoldsche, Stuttgart, {{ISBN|978-3-89790-412-5}}.
* Wettstein, Marion. 2014. ''Naga Textiles: Design, Technique, Meaning and Effect of a Local Craft Tradition in Northeast India''. Arnoldsche, Stuttgart, {{ISBN|978-3-89790-419-4}}.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051217201215/http://nagaland.nic.in/profile/festivals/ao.htm Moatsü Mong: The Festival of Ao Tribe]
* [http://www.languageinindia.com/nov2001/aofolktale.html Narrating an Ao Naga Folktale] <small>(Language in India)</small>
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=92161 Ethnologue profile]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OgPt6vp1bM Ao Naga documentary, Part 1: Origin and Migration]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1USnolipDRo Ao Naga documentary, Part 2: Culture]
* [http://oaji.net/articles/2017/1870-1542607361.pdf A study on the traditional ornaments of Ao tribe of Nagaland]

{{Naga tribes}}
{{Hill tribes of Northeast India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Naga people]]
[[Category:Christian communities of India]]
[[Category:People from Mokokchung district]]

Ao Naga - Revision history

LavernChitwood1: minor cleanup

>B732: Reverted edits by 106.198.155.52 (talk): not providing a reliable source (WP:CITE, WP:RS) (HG) (3.4.10)

imported>Georgethedragonslayer at 06:42, 30 March 2021