Ecological Knowledge and Sustainable Farming Practices Among the Naga Tribes in Northeast India: A Reappraisal of Their Cosmological Worldview

In this article the author discusses the highly sustainable farming practices of some Naga tribes by situating them in the realms of their cosmology, spiritual beliefs and people’s perception of environmental ethics which are linked to the indigenous ecological knowledge. Further, the article is based on data collected from Ao and Angami Naga areas of Nagaland, where shifting cultivation is rooted in their ecological awareness embedded in numerous folk beliefs, taboos and ritual observances. Ethnographic accounts given in the article demonstrate the cohesive and holistic character of the Naga culture. The culture contains mythical linkages between humankind and cosmos as well as nature that is reflected in agricultural festivals which aim at seeking wellbeing and ultimate tranquillity.