It has been almost 5 months that I'm working with the UKIERI project team to develop a Case Study on “Organizational Tradition, Loss and Change of Naga Tribes in the North East State of India”. It has been an incredible experience to study the life of Naga (as I myself one) which I had never given much thought before. Naga is an ethnic group of people inhabited in the modern Indian states of Assam, Manipur Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Chin hill of Modern Myanmar. They are the indigenous tribes which consist of more than 55 tribes approximately adding upto 89 languages and dialect.
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| Village road |
As part of my fieldwork, I travelled to Zeliangrong hill (western part of Naga hill) in Manipur and Nagaland for my data collection from 20th December 2018 to 13th January 2019. I travelled to the heart of Zeliangrong region (Noney, Tamenglong) and the capital city of Manipur (Imphal) and Nagaland (Kohima) for interviews, storytelling session, Group discussion, Observing their festival and ritual performance. I also visited different Zeliangrong villages to observe their economy and to gather a holistic knowledge and information about the village administration system. The fieldwork ended recently in the month of January 2019, and here are the few reflections on the trip.
It was an overwhelming experience having time to talk with so many elders and listening to their fascinating stories. People are so kind and very co-operative. Every day is an adventure, I mostly travelled for a day in the hilly road to reached one village to another, sometimes I have to walk 5-6 hours by foot in terrain. One can imagine that the journey must be tiresome. Yes, indeed it was but once you reached the place, your exhaustion just vanishes away in laughter with their fascinating stories and jokes. I never get tired of hearing them.
On 21st December, I came to Longmai (Small town of Rongmei Naga) around 65 Kms from Imphal for an interview instead I conduct group discussion (turn out better than what I originally planned), In the discussion, I was able to gather the detail of village administration system of Rongmei. One of the elder (ex-chairman) narrated about life during 60s. It was so profound that I can still hear his humour as if I am in that hall even after almost three months had passed. It was quite fascinating listening to him. He was the former commander of NNC (Naga revolutionary Army) during the 70s and travelled all the Naga villages which gave him a very good knowledge of Naga life.
At Tamenglong, on the 29th of December, I visited the Raengan, a fortress built during the 18th century. It’s still very difficult to comprehend how they carry such a big stone to uphill.
I was back to Imphal on 10th of January, 2019 for Nanuh festival at Langthabal Chingkha to observe the practices of traditional religion such as dances, songs, ritual performance and feasting, a festival for the new-born babies in the village. It was one of the most remarkable experience in my fieldwork. They have a beautiful place, colour with beautiful dances in colourful dresses, and a great music.
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| Kohima Town (Battle of Kohima) |
I also planned to meet Naga political leaders and some social activist to have holistic understanding of Nagas aspiration and their struggle. Therefore, I go up to Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland. Unfortunately, after the interview just before I leave for Imphal, the NESO call for total shutdown throughout the North-eastern States to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the parliament. So, I was stuck there for two days. Taking advantage of the situation, I roam the city, visited the World War II cemetery and the Battle of Kohima where the Indian National Army fought alongside Japanese soldiers against the British force. I was fortunate to stand in the historic tennis court -the only line that divides the two forces.
I also visited the Cathedral which was built for the memories of Japanese soldiers who were fought and died in the battle. Cathedral is famous because of two things, it was built for the memories of Japanese soldiers with the contribution from the Japanese soldiers who fought in the Battle of Kohima and from the family who were killed in the battle. Secondly, the house is designed in the traditional Naga Morung house design. The Cathedral stands at the heart of Kohima. Most importantly, the Cathedral stands as the symbol of reconciliation, it is where the British, Indian and Japanese meet to remember the War for peace.
“Here at Kohima, in the spring of 1944, Japanese, British and Indian forces fought desperately for Garrison Hill.
Thousands of officers and other ranks were killed in action fighting for their mother country.
‘When you go home tell of us and say
For your tomorrow, we gave our today’.
We firmly believe that this inscription on the monument which stands on Garrison Hill must have been the common thought of the British, Indian and Japanese officers and other ranks who lost their lives, and that they all prayed for the future of their countries, a future of peace and prosperity…”
-Inscription at the gate of Cathedral
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Guangpuanang Kahmei is a PhD student at the Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi. He is working on the ‘Organisational tradition, change and loss in the Naga tribe of NE India’.
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