Fading Science: Upholding Naga Indigenous knowledge

May 26, 2023 54 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima| May 26

Much like the rest of the Indigenous society around the world, changes in Naga society over the past decades have been abnormally rapid, states Dr Martemjen, Academician and Researcher. This transition has led to the rapid adaptation of Western science and culture while fully discarding the once invaluable indigenous knowledge systems that sustained a people and nation.

Considering the danger of the losing significance of indigenous knowledge, Dr Martemjen in collaboration with Centre for Indigenous Culture and Environmental Studies (CICEs) started Fading Science, a YouTube Channel that documents series of short videos on Naga indigenous knowledge.

CICEs, a research center in Dimapur was established in 2018 by a group of young Nagas including Dr Martemjen with the intention to preserve, protect and promote the rich and invaluable Naga indigenous knowledge and practices.

The general understanding of Indigenous practices is often confined to cultural events, festivals, folk songs and dances, however the Researcher advocates that indigenous practices and knowledge systems goes beyond this facade. Thus, the objective of Fading Science is to reach out to both young and old to inform and educate the lesser known Naga indigenous practices and knowledge systems.

“Fading Science is the knowledge that Indigenous people all over the world have developed and practiced independent of Western Science. I call it Fading Science since this knowledge is fast disappearing into extinction,” states Dr Martemjen.

The researcher underscores the valuable Naga Indigenous knowledge in medicine, cosmic understanding, political, social and economic practice, environmental management and biodiversity conservation, which still holds much relevance today.

“Nagas possess a colossal amount of Indigenous knowledge, which were developed over time, accumulated incrementally, tested by trial and error and transmitted down from generation to generation orally or by shared experiences. This knowledge, though almost nonexistent in our modern Naga society, if adopted will be a vital asset in moving ahead as a people and nation,” points out Dr Martemjen.

For example, the researcher points out the Naga Indigenous knowledge in medicine which continues to be resourceful even in this scientific age.

“Not only do Naga Indigenous science possess detailed information and uses about species of plants, animals, birds, fishes, fungi and other micro-organisms; they also recognized types of minerals, soils, water, landforms, vegetations and landscapes. They also knew the Indigenous name of trees, flowers, plants and animals along their vicinity long before the binomial system of nomenclature was introduced in Western Science,” says Dr Martemjen.

Fading Science’s episode on Jangjangkok (Friend of the Rice paddy) provides insights on the significance of this insect in Naga agricultural practices.

Cosmic knowledge, is another essential aspect, as the researcher points out how Nagas closely studied and observed the different phases of the sun, moon and the stars, and conducted their daily activities (agriculture, cutting of timber, bamboo, community fishing, hunting etc) in sync with the solar and lunar cycles. He also adds that Nagas possessed Indigenous weather forecasting (meteorological) and disaster management ideas.

Further, with the Indigenous knowledge on environmental management and biodiversity conservation receiving global attention today, it has become pertinent to also highlight the Nagas Indigenous practices in sustaining the ecosystem.

“Nagas have always shared a symbiotic relationship with nature. As a result, judicious and sustainable use of environmental resources and biodiversity conservation ethics profoundly existed in Naga society. Besides, conservation areas existed in the form of sacred forests, lakes, mountains etc all throughout the state. Nagas take great pride in their prowess of hunting, fishing and jhum cultivation, but even so the people’s priority was always to protect and conserve the forest ecology,” says the Researcher.

In this regard, the Sacred Forest (Ali Tara) episode in Fading Science explains the significance of sacred forests in biodiversity conservation.

“Indigenous people are being faced with the challenge of getting extinct let alone their culture, tradition and knowledge. The knowledge of the world is knowledge of the few and the wealth of the world is in the hands of the mighty few. Under such circumstances, as Indigenous people, it is time for us to develop, practice and promote our indigenous science of knowing before it fades away forever,” urges Dr Martemjen.