Among the Sumi tribe, the burial of the Chiefs (founder of the village) is marked by a megalith Athigho in memory of the dead which symbolizes the ownership of land. Its allegory is extended to keeping the genealogy of the Chiefs and the village for several generations handed orally among the people. The Sumi Naga are patrilineal and patriarchal tribes residing in the district of Zunheboto, Nagaland. They are one of the major Naga tribes residing in the villages located in the two major river valleys tapu (doyang) and tsüzü (tizu) with the village Chiefs at the helm. The study focuses on the megalith Athigho which is a burial megalith of the Chiefs (founder of the village) connected to status and several rituals and beliefs of the Sumi tribe. The study will explore how in the village of Phisumi, Littami Old, and Littami New the burial place of the village Patriarch is held in reverence and plays an important role in tracing the village’s origin, keeping the history, and lineage of the Chiefs and the dependents living in these villages for several generations. Through the lens of the burial megaliths of the Sumi Chiefs, the study helps to understand the social and cultural practices of the Sumi Naga how this burial place helps to preserve the lineage of the past to present, and how the symbol of this burial place continues to play a significant role at present in the midst of past and modern tradition. The study uses anthropological research methods like genealogy, participant observation, interviews, digital recordings, photographs, etc.
