Dimapur, September 5 (MExN): A one day seminar on the topic “The Heraka Movement” was conducted by the Department of History, Dimapur Government College on September 4 at the college premise. Dr Norbert Noraho, Principal, Head of Departments, Lecturers and students majoring in history attended the seminar. It may be mentioned that once a month, a seminar is conducted in turns by various departments. This is a novel exercise of the Dimapur Government College.
Lecturer, History Department Vivi Swu, gave the main presentation where she highlighted about “Heraka” as a religious reform movement derived from the ancestral practice called “Paupaise”. It was taken up by the Zeme Nagas during the period of British colonialism in Northeast India. The seminar tried to trace the beginnings of the Heraka Movement and was mainly based on Dr Arkotong Longkumer’s research work titled “Reform, Identity and Narratives of Belonging: The Heraka Movement in Northeast India”. According to the paper presented, Dr Arkotong sees the genesis of the movement as based on agrarian reform linking it with the Kuki influx and the British land policy on Zeme agricultural practices causing land shortages and famine. In his book, Dr Arkotong further argues that the Heraka movement provided an alternative by abolishing certain rituals associated with agricultural cycle which in turn changed the world view of the Zeme Nagas.
The seminar was chaired by Suzzane Yaden. HoD History Department Dr Katoni Jakhalu gave the introduction. The paper presentation was followed by discussion and light refreshment.
