SPEAKERS

​Abstract

The Nagas are an indigenous people living in the northeastern region of India. They have a long and complex history marked by colonization, political oppression, and systemic marginalization, all of which have contributed to a deep sense of collective trauma. The experience of British colonization, prolonged military occupation, and ongoing political conflict has deeply impacted the collective consciousness of the Nagas. This paper examines the historical trajectory of Naga resistance, the contemporary political landscape, and the lasting effects of collective trauma. Additionally, it explores pathways for healing and reconciliation through indigenous frameworks, communal memory, and restorative justice.

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Historically, the Nagas resisted colonial pacification drive, initially under British rule and later with post-independent Indian government. The British administration disrupted the traditional governance structures, undermined communal healing practices, and imposed arbitrary colonial boundaries that fragmented the Naga identity. The disruption caused by colonial policies weakened indigenous social cohesion, making way for further marginalization in the years that followed.

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After India’s independence in 1947, Indian government refused to acknowledge Naga sovereignty that led to decades of armed conflict, culminating in severe militarization and human rights violations. The enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) granted the military sweeping power, resulting in state-led violence, including mass killings, rape, torture, and destruction of uncountable villages. This prolonged militarization has had far-reaching consequences, fostering intergenerational trauma that continues to affect the psychological well-being, social unity, and economic stability of the Nagas. Although ceasefire agreements (1997) have reduced active hostilities, political uncertainty and internal divisions among the Naga nationalist groups further exacerbate collective suffering.

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Despite these historical and ongoing adversities, the Nagas has demonstrated and continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience. Storytelling, communal rituals, and indigenous healing practices serve as mechanism for preserving collective memory and fostering psychological recovery. The revival of traditional practices, such as the concept of Khonzan Mek among the Lothas which transcends western empathy and emphasizes on communal care offers an alternative to Western mental health paradigms. However, true healing requires more than cultural revitalization, it demands a political resolution that acknowledges historical injustice, repeals AFSPA, and promotes sustainable economic development in Nagaland.

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Bio

Dr. Dr. P. Zubeno KITHAN hails from Nagaland, India, and belong to the Lotha tribe. She completed both my masters and doctor of theology at the United Theological College, Bangalore, specializing in Pastoral Theology and Care (Pastoral Care and Counselling). After earning my doctorate in 2019, She began teaching at Union Biblical Seminary in Pune, Maharashtra. In 2024, She joined Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fjij, as a Senior Lecturer in Practical Ministry.

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Abstract

This presentation will focus on the experience of colonial and political trauma and its impact on the colonized, especially with regard to religious experience and subsequent theological formation. Furthermore, this study pertains to an ethnic people called the Nagas, who have been languishing under different colonial powers for generations.

The presentation will seek to answer two crucial and related questions: First, is there a causal relationship between political violence and mass religious conversion? The Nagas converted to Christianity rapidly due in part to what is called “revival movements”. Unsurprisingly, this rapid en masse conversion coincided with the height of colonial and political violence.

Secondly, could political trauma help influence the theological formation of the colonized? The preferred theology of the Naga church is predominantly apocalyptic and other-worldly. Given the socio-political predicament that the Nagas are in, one would think that other forms of theology such as liberation theology, would be the choice of theological pursuit for the Naga Christians. However, the theology of the Naga church is strongly oriented toward apocalyptic beliefs. Could there be any correlations between this theological propensity and the experience of the colonial trauma?

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Bio

Tezenlo Thong is the author of Progress and Its Impact on the Nagas: A Clash of Worldviews (2014), Colonialization, Proselytization, and Identity: The Nagas and Westernization in Northeast India (2016) and a number of articles. He received his Ph.D. degree in Religion and Social Change from the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology.

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