The Pahmo is the traditional spear of the Konyak Naga Tribe of Nagaland that survives because the tribe has a rich warrior culture and a craft of diversity. At the Indian Museum, Kolkata, this striking artifact has a bamboo shaft adorned with seven brass rings to enhance its structural strength and beauty.
The blade is made of brass and, importantly, bifurcated- a rare design possibly signifying power or for causing maximum damage during battle or hunting. The anterior portion of the bamboo shaft is tightly inserted into the blade socket to ensure stability and preciseness. The posterior end is fitted with the iron guard that may serve as counterbalance or protective value in fighting
Spears like the Pahmo were not weapons only; they represented bravery and status and were carried about in rituals or festivals or during headhunting expeditions, that is all part of the Konyak warrior cycle. The craft in itself is also representative of the artsy sensibility of the same tribe, where weapons are designed to have a ceremonial value.
Today, the Pahmo and such artifacts conserve much of the cultural memory of tribes and their legacy in terms of skillful metalwork, war, as well as symbolic representation.