Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalya organise an Exhibition on NAGA MEMOIRS Narrating the Cult of Fertility. The Nagas, a largest tribal group of the North-east India have their glorious culture that fascinates the world. The Naga villages used to have a very profound social and political organisation instituted to control the society under the administrative head of the Village Chief.
Founded with a strong religious belief, the concept of fertility had been the core element that unites the diverse Naga communities. life of the Nagas, be it birth, death, feasting, sex, martial proficiency etc. all are manifested with the underlying idea of fertility. Naga believed in the content of a soul substance associated with the dead, and this life substance carried in human head could bring fertility of the soil and prosperity of the village. Human head was seen as the seat of wisdom, fertility and repository of power.
Although, the common practices which were associated with the fertility cult of Naga head-hunting, have now been abolished. These glorious traditions of the past are still reflected in their material aspects of culture. The present exhibition houses some important collections of the Naga tribe that narrates the splendid tradition of fertility cult and the crave of social achievement.
Feast of merit is one of the most important features of Naga fertility rites, related life and prosperity. By giving feasts, a person could achieve social status and ensure his sacrifices of wealth and heroic deeds be remembered after his death. Feast of merit are performed in stages, completing of which he could exhibit his status through certain ornaments, clothes or house carvings.