Maya Bhadauria
Yes, we learned that a 19th century 'Horned Naga Human Skull' was to be auctioned in Britain, but it met with the biggest opposition in India. It is true that the auction was stopped after the letter written by the Chief Minister of Nagaland to the Government of India, but the question is, what is it about this horned skull that has sparked a public outcry against it? How did the human skull reach Britain from Nagaland? To answer all these questions, one has to go to Nagaland, a mine of rich culture and beauty, to know in some detail. Nagaland is the smallest of the seven states in the eastern part of India. Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh… these seven states are known worldwide as 'Seven Sisters'. Regarding the origin of the word Naga, scholars say that the word is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Naga'. It means mountain and the people living on it are called Pahari or Naga. The Naga community has long had a tradition of bestowing the best respect on the remains of the dead, but this tradition was blatantly insulted by the British, which has angered the people of Nagaland.
What is the whole matter? Originally, an auction house called Swann in Tetsworth, Britain organized an auction of a 19th-century horned human skull belonging to the Naga community. Its price was set at around four thousand British pounds (about 43 lakh rupees), but the auction was stopped for the time being due to fierce protests by Nagaland residents and various organizations.
In this regard, social organizations and people say that the insults of ancestors will not be accepted, 'Many valuable things of our ancestors were taken to Britain by the British officials. Auctioning our ancestors is a grave insult to the rich heritage of our ancestors, which we will not accept at all. At that time the British forcibly occupied our land and took our precious heritage with them while leaving the country despite our protests. So they have many precious things, which the government should help us to protect.'
Naga community struggle not over The skull up for auction belongs to a 19th century man from Nagaland's Naga community. The British took this skull with them during the expansion of the British Empire. It was then auctioned as Lot No. 64. The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England has a collection of 6,500 items related to the Naga community. It also has various skeletons of the Naga tribe. All these objects collected during British imperialism have been preserved in the museum for over a century. The Naga community has been struggling for a long time to recover the human remains of their ancestors.
Re-Oxard Auction House auctioned more than 20 items, including human remains, for millions in revenue. It included the world's ancient books, manuscripts, paintings and Naga skulls. According to experts, for those interested in anthropology and tribal culture, the auction this time was a special attraction because of the horned human skull. Its starting price was Rs 2.30 lakh, but it was expected to fetch up to Rs 4.39 lakh in the auction, which has now turned upside down.
What is the Hornbill Festival? Known for its ancient tradition and natural beauty, Nagaland is also world famous for the 'Hornbill Festival'. Running from December 1 to 10, this Mototsav also features a music festival, Nagaland Literature Festival and Nagaland Film Festival. For the first time in the year 2000, the government started the Hornbill Festival. The celebration of Hornbill festival was started with the aim that the people of the Naga community get to know each other and the people of the country and the world get to know the culture of the Naga society. The festival is named after the hornbill bird. Hornbill is considered sacred among the Nagas. It is also mentioned in the mythology of the Nagas. A hornbill feather is found in the cap of the Nagas. Traditional tribal food is enjoyed at this festival, including dried bamboo shoots, boiled fish, akibe, pork, akhuni and rice beer. The biggest attraction of the festival is the various dances and games. Traditional dances are performed around the fire lit and ancient games are also seen, which is another treat to watch.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
