 Paomata, Lepaona and Chilivai, taken together are recognised as Poumai Naga .Prior to that, the government considered them to be part of the Mao tribe, with whom they share culture and history.As of 2011, the Poumai tribe had a population of 179,189, with 10,000 living in the Phek district, Nagaland.There are 94 Poumai villages, of which 85 are revenue-recognised villages and nineare unrecognized.