There is very little in Nagaland that has not been affected by the changes brought about since the days of British Administration. The Hills that were blanketed by thick forests have been deforested. Wild animals that were found in abundance have almost disappeared as a result of the Naga love for hunting combined with easy availability of firearms and lack of a conservation policy. Few understand its ecological implications and the disastrous long term consequences. The treasured Hornbill feathers that people of wealth wore in the hair have now become even more precious because of the unavailability. Fake feathers made of white paper with a band of black paints across the top are used instead. Though most of the women still wear Mekhala’s (sarongs) few men wear the aprons even in the villages. Pants or Shorts, however tattered, are preferred. Similarly, the women wear blouses.

It is unthinkable for them to dress now as they did a generation ago. There are only a few older people who regularly wear the traditional ornaments, beads, feathers, shells, brass, tiger’s teeth, boar’s tusk, cane and ivory put together with a truly artistic sense of form and color. Otherwise, those who still own ornaments only wear them as costumes. Complete traditional outfits are mainly worn while taking part in the official celebrations or welcoming comities putting up a performance for VIPS.

In many ways the fears that the Naga Club expressed about being engulfed by an alien culture were prophetic. But even they may not have been aware of just how vulnerable we were. Nagaland has rapidly acquired all the worst traits of modern Indian and western culture. Politics has become notoriously corrupt. There have been little developments in the state though as a backward state it receives large amounts of funds from the centre of development. Corrupt politicians highly placed officials and middlemen from outside state have formed a nexus that siphons off most of the state funds. The gap between the rich and the poor grows wider every day. Those without economic or political clout cannot progress beyond a certain point in their careers by virtue of merit alone. The villagers, still mostly illiterate are neglected until election comes. The average Naga villager just manages to get by with no alternatives then farming. All the work is still done by hand with the aid of crude implements. The crops are usually not sufficient and have to be supplemented by rice of very poor quality supplied by the Government at Fair Price outlets. Fewer and fewer young people want to farm the land. Anyone with even a minimum education wants a desk job. Manual labor is looked down upon. Even villagers want government jobs for their children’s, to spare them the hardships of a poor farmer’s life. For most educated young people, even graduates, such goals are unthinkable.

When change has brought about so many social ills and so much disillusionment, Naga’s are beginning to look to the past and the traditions that Naga’s grew up on. Young Naga leaders and students have begun movements to revive and preserve many traditions that were given up or are dying out. It is the spirit of cooperation behind many of the old traditions that they hope to revive for the benefit of the community. It still exists in the villages but as more and more people seek a life in the towns, its gives way to individualism. It is also a move to strengthen ethnic pride in a culture that many Naga’s had been taught to look upon as inferior. They were expected to model themselves after an alien culture; first that of the Christian Europe, then of mainstream India, rather then develop along their own lines. The results have had negative repercussions on every Naga. When a Naga Christian dies, he is given a Christian burial but usually an object that he particularly cherished is put into the coffin just as a deceased’s prized possessions were displayed on his funeral platform. Before burial, family members address words of farewell to the deceased with an emphasis on the statement that he should not grieve as he goes to the other world nor should he return to search for those he has left behind (Naga’s believe that the dead returns to take with them members of their family). This wake is held in the traditional ways. Naga Christians do not see these traditions that belong to a pre-Christian era as in any way clashing with Christian way of living.