Political Disputes and Religious Fusions: From Countering to Understanding the Naga and Zo Narratives of Self-Determination

Abstract

One of the recurring themes pertaining to the ‘Northeast’ of India is the question of ethno-political unrest prevalent in the region. While the lens through which this ‘unrest’ is interpreted is diverse, the language of ‘insurgency’ continues to be the privileged perspective. This has led to the reductionist perception that the issue is a particularly postcolonial phenomenon, and in the Naga and Zo Hills, an aftermath of the Christian mission influence in these areas. This perception is problematic as it offers no conceptual space to account for the historical particularities that have shaped these respective struggles, and is unable to imagine a way beyond countering to understanding in seeking honourable and sustainable resolutions. This paper explores the particularities of the Naga and Zo ‘insurgencies’, particularly in the context of their encounter with the British Empire and Christian missionaries, to seek substantive insights about dialogic transformation as a possible way forward.