Decolonisation causing transformation globally, says Dr. Dolly Kikon

MOKOKCHUNG — Dr. Dolly Kikon stated on Saturday that Nagas became obsessed with issues of justice, human rights, and development, but decolonisation is one such word in the 21st century that is causing a transformation across the scholarly world, universities, and indigenous centres.

Kikon, an associate professor of Anthropology and Development Studies at the University of Melbourne, said this while speaking at a public engagement programme on ‘Repatriation of Naga ancestral human remains’.

The event, held at Nagaland University, Lumami, was led by ‘Recover, Restore, and Decolonise (RRaD)’ under the aegis of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation.

Kikon asserted that “whether we like it or not, we have to engage with it; as Naga scholars, we need to have a sense of urgency in theorising our world from here by examining the colonial framework.”

She also questioned why oral histories or indigenous histories are being erased as non-academia, and why scholars across mainland India are unable to deal with Naga or Adivasi history. In this regard, she said that it is the teachers who are constantly feeding and shaping the students, who are frequently devoid of local context and meaning.

She also informed that decolonisation has become an integral part of indigenous curriculum all over the world.

In regards to RRaD, she informed the group is composed of intergenerational Naga researchers, students, peace activists, human rights activists, and theologians working together and thinking about repatriation.

She also informed that the Pitt River Museum at Oxford University in the United Kingdom houses the world’s largest Naga artefact collections, totaling around 6,466 artefacts, which include approximately 213 human remains.

Another speaker, Dr. Ellen Jamir, associate professor at Christian Counselling and Psychotherapy, Oriental Theological Seminary, Nagaland, stated that the repatriation journey began when Naga anthropologist Dr. Dolly Kikon came across an article in ‘The Guardian’.

She said that the main work of RRaD is to study and network with indigenous elders, conduct participatory action research, raise public awareness, and develop a strong, viable case for the official claim to the University of Oxford for the return of Naga human remains from the museum.

She also asserted that the repatriation of human remains is certainly a new and sensitive subject for many Nagas because of the limited exposure and information about the remains.

She noted that while many support the return of the remains, there are some who do not. She also said that for the Konyak, repatriation of the ancestral remains is strongly felt because it is connected to cultural and spiritual importance.

“Our historical challenges and reality are not gone but still exist and beckon us to listen and pay attention,” she added. 

The public engagement concluded with interaction between scholars, researchers, and students. On the same day, a similar programme was held at Jubilee Memorial College.

Also read: NEP 2020: Higher education at crossroads as institutions in Nagaland face closure threat