Festivals and Ceremonies Tie-Up with Shifting Cultivation Among the Ao-Nagas of Nagaland

Every tribe has its own sense of historical identity which is reflected in oral traditions and beliefs that are passed down from one generation to another. The Ao-Naga tribe of North-east India has their own rich cultural heritage preserved in the form of oral traditions. The study upon which this chapter is based was carried out with the objective of detailing traditional ritual practices of sacrifices and ceremonies relating to the shifting cultivation (jhum) calendar system, which plays an important role in sustaining the tribe’s cultural history. Documentation was gathered from oral narratives in the Changkikong range of Mokokchung district of Nagaland, from five individuals who had good knowledge of the belief system and ritual practices of the Ao-Nagas. The documented rituals are associated with festivals which are linked to their day-to-day life and are mostly performed for the welfare of the society with a particular focus on a bountiful harvest. With the need for such a harvest, religious ceremonies and rituals revolved around agriculture. The belief system in Ao-Naga practices is animistic in nature and polytheistic, worshipping several benevolent and malevolent spirits and gods, at different times and occasions for different purposes; they perform animal sacrifices by offering pigs, dogs, fowl, eggs etc., to pacify their spirits and gods. With the advent of Christianity, traditional celebrations are now performed with the Christian prayers during such events.