The bamboo hoe is also a traditional farming tool for the Sema Naga tribe in Nagaland, India. The tool consists of three individual hoes fashioned from a single piece of split bamboo; these lightweight tools are made from natural materials readily obtained from the forest in the region. Each hoe has a somewhat loop-like working end-wrought by bending the bamboo-forward and two arms tied crosswise with a cane, providing strength while allowing flexibility during operation.
This unique design has rendered these hoes particularly handy in weeding, tilling, and working light soil-on any given day, particularly when used in Jhum cultivation, which is extensively practiced by the Sema people. The Sema Naga tribe (or Sumi Nagas) largely inhabit the Zunheboto district and parts around it in Nagaland. Renowned for their agricultural prowess, the Sema fast employs eco-friendly, hand-made tools, such as this bamboo hoe. Thus, they tend to their terraced and hillside farms. The very simplicity and efficiency of this tool embody their traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable way of life. The bamboo hoe is more than a useful agricultural implement; it speaks of the tribes’ affinity to the land and their skill to produce tools that meld with the environment.