Trophy collection hobby of R. Sangyukaba Longkumer, a veteran hunter of Longsa Village
Mokokchung Times News
Mokokchung | February 20
Meet R. Sangyukaba Longkumer of Longsa Village, Mokokchung, known for his odd hobby of collecting and preserving skulls of wild animals he has hunted since the 1960s.
At present, he has about 170 craniums decorating the siding of his house. He told Mokokchung Times that there would have been more, had he not given some away as tokens, while some had been misplaced. He also said that there are more kept inside his house.
Among his large collection, are craniums of stags, wild boars, bears, porcupines and monkeys.
Talking to Mokokchung times, he said that his hobby solely began through his fondness for sports and hunting and not because of some ‘inspiration’.
Although he does not go out hunting regularly now, owing to his advanced age, he was in his heyday known for his marksmanship and unmatched hunting skills, which he considers as “God given skills.”
Even to this day, he fondly recollects days of his big-game hunting expeditions, specifically of an incident in the 1970s, when he bestowed a tiger to his village of Longsa and received 40 rupees in acknowledgement. Today, the 73-year old veteran hunter gleams in pride as he holds the distinction of being the man to have triggered down the highest number of animals in his village.
On being asked about people’s reactions to his hobby, Sangyu said that people mostly are fascinated and are often awed by his collection of trophies but he also admitted that, sometimes, he experiences gloomy responses from animal lovers who keep asking him to stop hunting.