Repatriation: The Naga Process  - Eastern Mirror

Learning from Mon District Overview The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) has been facilitating a process to develop and enable a Naga response around the future care of Naga ancestral human remains. These are currently housed in the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM), Oxford, UK. The FNR is committed to the underlying principle that the future of the Naga ancestral remains shall be determined by the people. To elicit and document a Naga response, Recover Restore and Decolonise (RRaD) – a team formed by the FNR – has been studying and networking with Indigenous experts, leaders and elders, conducting participatory action research, and generating public awareness. RRaD’s core aim is to engage in open dialogue and consultation across the Naga community about the future of Naga ancestral remains. RRaD’s approach is centred on understanding the trauma and violence of colonisation, an experience that is universal across Indigenous societies. Over the last few months RRaD organised focus group discussions and public consultations in Dimapur, Kohima, and Longleng. On June 2-4 2023, FNR and RRaD team comprised of Rev. Dr.  Ellen Jamir, Dr. Dolly Kikon, Manngai H. Phom, and Kuvethilu Thuluo travelled to Mon Town, Konyak Baptist Bumeinok Bangjüm (KBBB) Mission Centre, and...