Blog

By Chandan Jyoti Konwar     When we say ‘coffee,’ what usually comes to mind? Cafés, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the deep brown roasted beans, the barista who’s always happy to serve the customers, and the cosy aesthetics of coffee shops that we often post on our social media feeds. In recent […]

By Tümüzo Katiry     Introduction    Festivals in the Naga tradition serve as key markers of the annual agricultural cycle. This cycle is punctuated by a series of rituals, with the principal festival acting as the central axis that signifies both the end and the beginning of the cycle. In Lephori, a Pochury Naga

By Sholu Movi and Lu Chi     Thanamir is a small, quaint village in the Kiphire district of Nagaland, India, located at an altitude of over 2000 m. It is one of the last villages on the Indian side of the Indo-Myanmar border, and residents speak the unique Chirr dialect. Thanamir is famous for

By Chandan Jyoti Konwar     In the complex tapestry of urban environments, public spaces have long been seen as the central hub of community life, enabling interactions, economic activities, and cultural expressions for individuals from various backgrounds. These communal areas, including parks, markets, shops, and recreational spots, are seen as inclusive centres where people

By Khrieletuonuo Yhome     Bees are valuable insects from an economic perspective because they pollinate crops and produce other useful items  such as honey, beewax, and bee venom . The honey bees of the Apis genus are social insects that dwell in highly organised communities. Despite their significant benefits to crops and humans, bees can pose a

By Esther Swu     The Highland Institute is collaborating with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore on a research project entitled ‘Soldier-Citizens Labouring in the Border Security Force.’ The project focuses on an important period in Naga social history and examines how it was that, from the early

By Ningthoukhongjam Girija ‘The very notion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political position.’ – George Orwell Music is so much more than mere entertainment. Music tells stories about lost lovers, fond memories, differences, and injustice, words we could have said but have not said. Music narrates the tales

By Kevide Lcho     About Rüzaphema Rüzaphema is in the Chümoukedima District of Nagaland. The village has a population of around 2400 individuals, and the entire land holding is about 150 square kilometers. The settlement is approximately 200 years old. Oral history says that it was founded by four people; three were Angami—one from

By Tarini Manchanda     It is an April morning, and we head to Khonoma Village from Nagaland’s capital city, Kohima, along with two friends from the Highland Institute. Rita who was born in Khonoma has given us access. She is married Dr. Mekro. They are taking us to Rita’s ancestral family home. Despite being

By Tümüzo Katiry     In the remote highlands of the North-Eastern region of India and the North-Western part of Myanmar, indigenous Naga communities have been compelled to live in an unimaginable predicament, oscillating between self-determination and a sense of belonging. This blog post is a reflection of my experience during the Earthkeepers’ preliminary fieldwork in