Mütsale village, Phek District, Nagaland

Mütsale village

Mütsale villagers without exception can speak Chokri and Sumi dialects with ease. In their everyday conversation they use Sumi dialect but in the church, they speak Chokri. Mütsale is a Chakhesang village in Phek district, Nagaland. Unlike the typical Naga villages which are located on mountain tops, it is located close to the Tüsürü river (which flows into the Tizu) in between Phuhgi and Khuza village. The two villages are the only other villages which can be seen from Mütsale and due to its poor connectivity (road, phone signal), there is now a popular joke that in Mütsale, even Guitar does not produce sound when strummed.

Reserved common fishery

According to 2001 Census, the total population is 636 (127 households). It is said that before coming to the present site, Mütsale was located in a slope overlooking the present one and the village had 700 houses. The present site does not have much space for expansion and a new village is beginning to be set up towards Kütsapo village. Two families have already settled in the new village and playgrounds are also prepared. The new village will be hosting the upcoming Tizu area sports meet.

The village is connected by Katcha road which connects Sekruzu to Phuhgi and passes through the village and continues on to Khuza and Phek town. Two years back, a new road has been constructed through PMGSY scheme which connects the village to Ruzazho village. The new road has considerably shortened the road distance of the village from the State capital.

The village has one school, one church, and one health sub centre. The school is a Govt. primary school with classes up to 5th Std. There are over 100 students, 7 classrooms and 5 teachers. So far, the village has produced 4 college graduates. Many of the villagers have migrated to Phek and other places for studies or work. The village has only one religious denomination (Baptist).

Medicinal spring water, believed to be good for eyesight

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood. Jhum cultivation is widely practiced and there is not much wet terrace rice cultivation compared to other Chakhesang villages. Forest covers are depleting due to jhumming and a village leader remarked that because of this, the village is getting much hotter in the last few years. The village has a reserved forest which is home to monkeys, bears, deers, antelopes, etc. Fish rearing is also widely practised. Fresh water trout are found in plenty and it is a special delicacy that is loved by villagers and visitors. Rearing of fishes is a potential/promising source of economic income but rearing for commercial purpose is yet to be developed.

The village has a very good water supply. But sanitation is a concern as pigs continue to be reared in the open and drainage systems are insufficient. But there is improvement as some culverts and drains are constructed under NGNREGS.

Camping at river bank, Mütsale

The people are warm and have good sense of humor. The villagers take the guitar joke in good health and they themselves are propagating the joke adding flavors to it. Like Rajnikanth jokes, more and more are being added to the joke that even Guitars don’t make a sound when strummed at Mütsale. ‘At Mütsale, all you see is the sky and nothing else’, ‘at Mütsale, even radios do not produce any sound’, and so on.

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.” Bill Crosby