- New Routledge volume documents Nagas as knowledge practitioners, not stereotypes
- Grounded in SPARC research, blending archaeology, anthropology, and lived Indigenous insight
- Explores ecological wisdom, craftsmanship, and nature-based belief systems still in practice
- Bridges classical thought and Indigenous knowledge with global academic relevance
NE LITERARY BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, APR 30
IIT Gandhinagar’s faculty Dr Alok Kumar Kanungo, Associate Research Professor (Archaeology) along with Dr Alino Sumi, former IITGN PDF and an Indigenous scholar from Nagaland, have authored a new book titled Nagas: The Knowledge Practitioners, published by Routledge. The book explores the Nagas not only as custodians of tradition but as active knowledge practitioners, documenting their ecological understanding, craftsmanship, social organisation, and cultural expression. This book is an outcome of the Ministry of Higher Education, Govt. of India flagship research scheme SPARC.
It looks closely at the nature-based belief systems and subsistence practices of Naga communities, many of which were once widely shared but are now preserved in select villages. Through detailed case studies, the book highlights ancient sciences and traditional methods which are still practiced, offering insight into the worldview of the Nagas. By recording these practices meticulously, it helps preserve this valuable knowledge for future generations.
The volume includes a foreword by noted ethnographer Peter van Ham and concludes with a reflective couplet by the celebrated poet Mirza Ghalib, linking classical literary wisdom with the ongoing vitality of indigenous knowledge traditions.
Drawing on decades of scholarly engagement and lived experience, the book is an important resource for researchers in archaeology, anthropology, and Indigenous Studies. In the current context, where India is giving renewed focus to Vikas and Virashat, this work highlights the intellectual contributions of Naga communities and their relevance within the wider cultural and academic discourse.
“The primary concern in writing this book is to clear longstanding misconceptions about one of India’s most studied yet often stereotyped communities, the Nagas of the Naga Hills and to explore them as knowledge practitioners rather than mere subjects of anthropological curiosity, including discussions around historically documented practices such as headhunting”, said Dr Alok.
