Long means stones and Longkhum means ‘stone village’. The village was very rocky and full of stones, hence the name. Longkhum is the highest point of Mokokchung.
There is a belief that the souls after death become eagles and cross the village of Longkhum to go to the mountains on the other side known as ‘laza subu’. There are eagle caves in Longkhum where souls in the form of eagles visit, making this village a spiritual passage for souls. It is believed that anyone who visits Longkhum from outside once has to return to the village two more times to collect their souls which they left behind the first time. These are old customs established by the ‘shamans’ in the past, but the villagers maintain it even today. The local people also think that eagles flying near the caves symbolize death.