Paper short abstract:

This paper asks how far the 'decolonizing the museum' approach can be applied in studying Naga collections in European museums and critically engage with ethnographic objects in their historical contexts, ranging from imperial, colonial and postcolonial eras to contemporary reimagining.

Paper long abstract:

This paper asks how far the 'decolonizing the museum' approach can be applied in studying Naga collections in European museums and critically engage with ethnographic objects in their historical contexts, ranging from imperial, colonial and postcolonial eras to contemporary reimagining.

During the colonial period, between1921-1935, six detailed monographs were published on the Naga peoples of present North East India. by British officers cum amateur anthropologists using the guidelines in 'Notes and Queries' prepared by the RAI. In addition many artefacts were collected from different Naga communities for western ethnographic museums, especially in the UK and elsewhere in Europe at the turn of the 20th Century, just before much material cultural heritage was destroyed during religious revivals and the actions of British and Indian security forces, first to annex the region and later to suppress the nationalist movement. Over the past four generations, most Naga have converted to Christianity. Now, however, many cloths and accessories from the so called 'heathen past' and colonial period have become part of a treasured cultural history for the Naga. The paper will explore the re-engagement with Naga of north-eastern India from whom objects in the Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum (and other museums in Europe), were sourced during the colonial period and the effects of such engagement, including sharing with the people, Naga anthropology students and colleagues the digital images of the objects. The paper will also dwell on how best to approach the early history of collecting and teaching of anthropology in ethnographic museums.