A Revelation.
Khonoma village is located about 20 km from the state capital, Kohima. The village, referred to as Khwunoria (named after the Angami term for a local plant, Glouthera fragrantisima), is estimated to be around 700 years old.Over a hundred years ago, advancing British troops found themselves facing a determined warrior tribe in the highlands of Nagaland. The Angami men of Khonoma, famed for their martial prowess and strategic skills, fought a resolute battle to safeguard their territory, inflicting heavy casualties on the foreign soldiers. The village is recorded to have resisted British rule in the region from 1830s to 1880. Finally a truce between the two stopped further bloodshed, but meanwhile Khonoma village had etched its name into the history of Indian resistance to the colonial invasion. Christianity was introduced in the village in 1890, and today most of the villagers are of this faith.Over the last decade Khonoma, inhabited by the Angamis, one of Nagaland’s tribes, has made giant strides in establishing or strengthening systems of natural resource management, conflict resolution, village administration and appropriate development, all coupled with a resolute will to conserve biodiversity and wildlife.
What I found that Christianity had almost eroded their original faith and rituals and culture ,somehow couple of decades back the Angami community here has tried to preserve their culture. It was like a revelation for me what I saw in this beautiful village.Many of my previous negative notion of Nagaland has been positively rectified. Some of my observation. 1) Even at a height of 5000 ft water is in more than abundance due to their age old water harvesting technique. 2)not a single plastic or paper is found anywhere littered, 3) No alcohol, or any type of tobacco product is available due to strict local village law which visitors has also to follow, 4) youngsters greet their elders every time they come across which is well reciprocated, 5) if one is to roam around the village then he has to be fit as the village can also be called the village of stairs (luckily I again started going to gym from January) , 6) every house and every corner in the village is ornamented by beautiful flowers, 7)almost every house has grave attached of their ancestors. In short we lack from the in every aspect.
What I found that Christianity had almost eroded their original faith and rituals and culture ,somehow couple of decades back the Angami community here has tried to preserve their culture. It was like a revelation for me what I saw in this beautiful village.Many of my previous negative notion of Nagaland has been positively rectified. Some of my observation. 1) Even at a height of 5000 ft water is in more than abundance due to their age old water harvesting technique. 2)not a single plastic or paper is found anywhere littered, 3) No alcohol, or any type of tobacco product is available due to strict local village law which visitors has also to follow, 4) youngsters greet their elders every time they come across which is well reciprocated, 5) if one is to roam around the village then he has to be fit as the village can also be called the village of stairs (luckily I again started going to gym from January) , 6) every house and every corner in the village is ornamented by beautiful flowers, 7)almost every house has grave attached of their ancestors. In short we lack from the in every aspect.
