Research Paper

1. COMING OF CHRISITANITY TO TRANS-DIKHU TRIBE AND
ITS SOCIAL CHANGE
Mr. Nohochem Sangtam
nohochem1988@gmail.com
09862519758
Dated: 04/16/2015
ABSTRACT
Despite many changes in recent decades, Christianity still has a significant place for bringing
social changes in the trans-Dikhu tribe of Nagaland. It is unsurprisingly a central part of
Christianity impact in the field of education and social change in the tribal community.
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Key Note
Background of Naga History and social change,
Early Missionary Experiment to Naga Hills, First Baptist Missionaries to Naga Hills- Rev.Miles
Bronson and his Mission. Trans Dikhu Mission –The Sangtam, Konyak, Khiamnungang.
Contribution of Christian Missionaries to Education, Social development brought by the
missionaries to the Naga tribes
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2. Background of Naga History and Social Change
Ever since the beginning of human civilization, History had begun making tremendous changes.
Civilizations were the base of great societies such as Egypt and Rome. The collection of people,
goods and ideas suggest difference and diversity and are also the hallmark of empires. The initial
formation of these civilizations were based on the movement of peoples into the river valleys and
plains gradually leading some go beyond these boundaries in search for basic needs for
livelihood and freedom from the more dominant force. These people were nurtured by these
spaces. They often described their environments as God-like and characterised their nearby as
life giving. The Nagas too have undergone such drastic changes during the course of her
adaptation to their habitat. Apart from cultural contacts with the neighbouring Ahoms, the rulers
of Assam from 1228 A.D, the Nagas had little or no contact with the outside world.
With the annexation of Assam after the treaty of Yandaboo in1826, the British inheritated from
the Ahoms , the legacy of hostile relationship with many hill tribes on the North-East Frontiers
Real exposure to the outside world came with the British annexation of Assam in 1828
following the treaty of Yandaboo.
The Nagas allowed no outsiders, to cross her frontier, though the cycles of relationship were
entertained with her neighbours. They were living freely and no foreign rule have ever tried to
undermine her pride until the British intervene taking her image to a whole course of
transformation. This became an important landmark in the history of our people with
considerable social, cultural and political pacification and redemption from their age-old
civilization.
The British first come into contact with the Angami country of the Naga hills in 1832, when
Capt. Jenkins and Perbenton cross into the Naga territory during their strategic survey of the road
communication between Assam and Manipur. The companies government which wanted to rule
Assam cheaply did not want to burden their administration with further expedition on what the
called “ Jungle beyond Assam”. That was why it was not part of early British policy to
occupied the Naga hills. A policy of non-intervention was followed and the Nagas were left to
themselves.
With the coming of the British rule in the Naga Hills, modern education, gradually in the form
of religious pattern came to assimilate our Nagas who were left in a state of illusions. One was
the acceptance of authority of the British rule and the other, the principle of her age-old beliefs
that was undermined by this rule. This manifestation and progress never affected in damaging
the rich tradition and culture of the Nagas, a legacy for the upcoming generations, it certainly
brought about a great transformation in the entire spectrum of our Naga people. This great

3. impact was the arrival of missionaries and the spread of Christianity and modern education
among the Naga tribes.
The acceptance of Christianity marks a departure from their many tribal customs and traditions
and along with the spread of English education, heralds the arrival of modernity in the Naga
Hills. In the ancient past, there is no record of teaching and learning of any script and opening of
any formal school in the Naga Hills prior to the arrival of the western Civilization. If education
alone without literacy can be taken, the Nagas had it well derived from their own indigenous
knowledge for their survival and growth.
It was told by our forefather that, everything is learned by the children from the Kitchen and
Morung. This is not only a place to cook food but every Naga household take this as a place for
family meeting not only to eat the food prepared but also to discuss all important matters when
everyone in the family is present. This happens twice in a day i.e. morning and evening. Parents
are primarily responsible in teaching social ethics and behaviour to their children, such teaching
occurred informally as the children sat around the kitchen fire eating or relaxing, as well as at
work on their farm. Children were always taught to respect and honour their parents and elders.
Role-playing and dramatization were used to teach the young the kind of conduct, ceremony and
discharge of responsibility expected of them. Parents always looked forward to the day when
they would retire from active farming due to age to baby sit their grandchildren. Aged Naga
parents always lived with one of their children and were looked after by them. It would be
immature to believe that Nagas received no education prior to their contact with the western
civilization. "Education is itself part of the social organization of any society, whether or not that
society has anything which might be recognized as a school." Naga societies, though without the
formal schooling of the West, regarded education as operative at all stages of human life and
very much in the interest of the unity of village communities.
However, it was not until the beginning of the 19th century; formal education called schooling
came to be first introduced in the Naga Hills by the missionaries in the 1880s, followed by the
British. The primary purpose of mission schools was to teach Nagas reading and writing so that
they could read the Bible and the hymnal. Of course, the completely Western colonial education
was purely literary.
Early Missionary Experiment to Naga Hills
The American Baptist Missionaries came to Assam in the year 1836 soon after the arrival in
Assam, the mission to the Nagas became a subject of discussion. Captain (later Major) Francis
Jenkins, the Commissioner and Agent to the Governor-General of Bengal and Assam
promised to give the missionaries all possible personal help and official Assistance. Thus began
the work of the Baptist Mission in the Naga Hills.
In the year 1836, Captain (later Major) Francis Jenkins, the Commissioner and Agent to
the Governor-General of Bengal and Assam, hoping to find a rout to China from Assam, two

4. American Baptist missionary couples from Burma were sent to Satiya in Upper Assam. In the
course of time, mission work took root in Assam, which gradually spread, to the Naga Hills.
The two American Baptist missionary couples who came to Satiya on 23rd May 1836 were Mr.
and Mrs Nathan Brown and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Cutter. On 17th July 1837, they were joined
by Mr. and Mrs Miles Bronson and Mrs Jacob Thomas.
First Baptist Missionaries to Naga Hills- Rev.Miles Bronson and his Mission
With the onset of British rule in the Naga Hills, Christian Missionaries too started to take keen
interest to propagate the Message of God to places, which has still not been touch by it. This
being a primary object of the Missionaries intended as per the teachings of the Gospel by Jesus.
The Rev. Miles Bronson, who prepared the first spelling book and a catechism for the
Singpho Nagas from Jaipur in Assam, attempted the beginning of modernization. He was
instructed to work for the Singphos Nagas, but his attention was diverted towards the Namsang
Nagas who were very friendly to him.
Rev.Miles Bronson first point of contact with the Namsang village (now in Arunachal Pradesh)
was on 7th January 1839. When he went to their village, he met chief‟s two sons along with
some warriors outside the village. Bronson tried to convince them that he was not a spy of the
Company and that he had come to give them books in their own language so they read the Law
of God to become wise and good people. The following day, the chief himself with his seven
sons and some villagers again met Bronson to learn more about his visit and to make sure that he
had not come to harm them.
On 12th January, after having made sure that Bronson’s purpose was not to harm them, they
allowed him to enter their village. During his stay, he corrected the vocabulary and prepared a
small catechism in their language and the villagers on the other hand showed great hospitality to
him.
The Rev.Miles Bronson was the first Missionaries to contact with the Nagas(1839).
Rev.Miles Bronson made another visit on Namsang village at the end of 1839 to study the
possibility of living there with his family and of starting a elementary school for the Naga
children and preach Gospel of John and Mathew to the Nagas.
And on 6th January 1840, the missionaries of Jaipur in Assam approved to let Bronson and his
family live with the Nagas. He finally moved to the Hills in March 1840.
In May, Miss Rhoda Bronson, sister of Miles Bronson joined them, but unfortunately, she
became ill and passed away on 8th December 1840. Bronson on the other had worked among
the Nagas for some more time.

5. Major Jenkins, Agent to the Governor General was favourably impressed by his work and
recommended a financial assistance to be extended to him. Major Jenkins was permitted to make
small payments to Rev. Bronson not exceeding a monthly maximum of 100 rupees. Bronson
opened a school at Namsang in the Konyak area bordering Assam (now at Arunachal
Pradesh).
Most probably ,it was the first Mission School Started by an American Missionary in Naga Hills.
In the letter sent to Madhock, Secretary to the Government of India by Major Jenkins,
stated Bronson’s encouragement of tea cultivation among the Nagas and also stated that he
was the first missionary to established schools in the Naga Hills but due to his illness he had
to leave the Naga Hills. Infact the work among the Nagas was interrupted till the arrival of
Another Baptist Missionary, Rev.E.W.Clerk. The mission to the Nagas was deserted for almost
30 years.
The probably factors may be due to the lots of misunderstanding between the tribal’s and the
British Government.There was lots of rivals to the Nagas villages especially between the Naga
Hills tribal people and British Government Until the Battle of Khonoma 1889.
Aos Naga
However, inspite of this factor, the missionary work among the Nagas did not stop there and
credit for originating the first Baptist church in Naga Hills goes to three distinct persons, namely:
Rev. Edward Winter Clark, His wife Mary Mead Clark and Godhula Rufus Brown. They cover
the period from 1871 to 1911. Godhula Rufus Brown, an Assamese Christian and a
schoolteacher started his actual missionary work among the Ao Nagas in the year 1871.
Rev.E.W Clark came to Sibsagar(Assam),in 1869.He had strong determination to preach
Christianity among the Naga tribes. Hence,he was stationed at Sibsagar in order to begin the
Mission work. The Mission was in contact with many Naga traders,a few of them had
deliberately to hear the Gospel. The Pioneer who came into the field were Mr.Sepongmeren, a
local Naga convert and Mr.Godhula ,an Assemese evangelist. When the Nagas became friendly
with Godhula,Clerk encouraged him to pick up the dialect of his Naga friends and eventually
paid a visit to their village.
In the course of time Godhula visited Dekhahaimong(Molungkimong) more than once and
earnestly began to prepare the groundwork for the planting of Christianity among the Ao Nagas.
He work was glorify for it is said that in 1872, when he came down from the Hills, he brought
along with him a group of Naga friends of whom nine were baptized by clark. Then in the same
year,clark himself is said to have visited Molungkimong from Sibsagar on 18 December 1972.
He met with the hospital reception and good treatment and Baptized 15 more Nagas.

6. After his visit to the village , Clark and his wife opened their first mission station in the Naga
Hills 1872 at Dekha-Haimong(Molungkimong).
Later Clark and the Molungkimong village elders and some followers established a new village
called Molungyimsen on October 24 1876,which was the centre of Christian Mission for 20
years.
In 1878, Rev. E.W. Clark and His wife set up first mission school station at Molungyimsen.At
first it was a school for the girls.in order to preach the Gospel to the Naga tribal, and many more
came to be converted. But Clark had to move away with his converts to a new place, to establish
a new village solely for the Christians because of began opposition.
And the new village came to be known as Molungyimsen. Between 1872-1894, they could
spread Christianity to some neighboring villages. Whenever, the Missionary establish the
church the mission school established and teach to the tribal. But for the convenient
purpose In 1894, the mission was shifted again to Impur.This Became the centre of the
American Baptist Mission work in Nagaland . When-ever a new mission station was opened
to teach people to read and write, the first thing the missionary used to do was to establish a
Church and school. Clark saw that education of the people was helpful in evangelism. In 1896
the Impur School was started with 9 students.
The mission schools gave free clothing, books and stipend to students. In return, the students did
some manual work in the compound. This manual labor was part of the curriculum. By 1899,
there were 40 students. From the following year, students started coming to school even from the
other tribes, such as Sema, Lotha,Sangtam and others. In the beginning Assemse language was
the medium of instruction, with only a little English.
For the neighboring tribes like Sema and Lotha by now the Ao language was not totally new.
Later, when government opened their schools they used the same books and followed the same
methods as the mission schools. At the same time, the government continued to provide grant-in-
aid for the mission schools. This was a positive encouragement from the British administration in
the Naga Hills
Their first problem was to get the teachers and readers or the students, therefore Clark brought
Assamese teachers from Sibsagar and he put the Ao spoken language to writing. The Assamese
teachers were converted while working in the hills and became helpful in the evangelistic work
as well as in Church administration
In the main time, more Baptist missionary families joined the Naga mission and the work spread
beyond the Ao Naga tribes.
The year 1896 was considered as the beginning of Ao Baptist Arogo Mundang(ABAM),for in
1896 the meeting was considered as consolation about the formation of the Association. The first
ABAM Meeting was held at Molungyimchen village from March 12-14, 1897.

7. Additional Point
Rev. Clark wrote the Ao Naga dictionary, a catechism, a hymnbook and translated the Gospels of
Matthew and John. Sword said, „The hostility of the natives had turned into friendship for they
had in this time learned to love and revere him, village after village surrendered to Christ. In
1885, the Clarks were reinforced by the arrival of
Dr. S.W. Rivenburg, a medical missionary, and his wife. But the Rivenburgs left for Kohima in
1887 to rep lace Rev. C.D. King there. In 1889, the Ao area was annexed.
In reference to the letter No. 547, dated 29th June 1907, by, Mr. H. Semesurier, C.I.E., I.C.S.,
Officiating Chief Secretary to the Government wrote to the Director of Public Instruction,
Eastern Bengal and Assam, dated 25th July 1907, letter No. 8656, mentioning the sanction of Rs.
1005/- by the Government for the construction of Impur Mission School and the remaining
charge out of Rs. 2505/- to be borne by the American of Impur.
This school was to be the pioneer institution for years producing teachers for schools, evangelists
and pastors for churches, and leaders of the people. Contributions of Dr. and Mrs E.W, Clark,
Rev. and Mrs. S.A. Perrine and Dr. and Mrs F.P. Haggerd to this pioneering work deserve all
appreciation. Mention can be made of other missionaries particularly Rev. and Mrs. W.F. Dowd,
an education missionary (1901-1921) and several Naga teachers particularly Gwizao Meru
Zeliang, Pehielie Angami, Kumbho Angami and Mayangnokcha Ao who had made invaluable
contributions towards growth and continuity this historic institution. This mission school was
named in 1919 as Impur School and class 4 was added to it that year. Later, the school was again
renamed as the Clark Memorial High school in 1952.
Trans Dikhu Mission –The Sangtam
Tuensang area was the last to be influenced by Christianity among the Naga territory. Sangtams
were the first to established Educational Institution in Eastern Nagaland i.e Trans Dikhu Tribe.
“Before the advent of the Christianity all the Sangtam Nagas practiced their old Animistic belief.
Their old religion was a way of life for them which included their history, tradition, belief,
superstitions and the way of worship, they worship different gods amongst those the Lijaba who
holds the heaven and earth was the supreme God”. (Extracted from Cultural Tradition of India
reference to the Sangtam Naga Culture”By Nohochem Sangtam page-90-92.)
‘Our forefathers were headhunters, Britishers officially enters into the Naga Hill in 1882 and
since then they started to colonized Naga Hills and spreading Christianity. With great effort they
managed to convince the Nagas to stop the tradition of headhunting, but they did not do anything
for spreading Christianity amongst the Sangtam Naga.
Meanwhile in the early 20th
century Tsarü (Chare) village was force with great famine and
during the famine Sekyüling Sangtam left for Aonokpu, he stayed at Pangerla’s(Widower) house
who was then a good believer of Christ. After few days Sekyüling felt seriously ill, He expressed
his desired to accept Christ and asked her to pray for him. At first Pangerla refused saying that he
would turn back to his old Animistic belief once he get well. So Sekyüling said “Iam not a child

8. and if I get well I will convert into Christianity” Pangerla agreed and he got well when she
prayed for him. From that day onward Sekyüling accepted Christ as his personal savior”.
(Extracted from Cultural Tradition of India reference to the Sangtam Naga Culture”By
Nohochem Sangtam page-90-92,)
“In 1912 Sekyüling was baptized by J.B.Baily an American Missionary at Impur, when the
World War I Broke out in 1914, Sekyüling was staying at Impur. During that time, the British
Government recruited a number of labourers and porters from the Nagas tribe and send to
France. Sekyüling too had to move to the war zone as Labour Crops (L.C).”
“From 13th
June 1912-1918 he spend some years at Impur and some years in the war zone
working as Labour Corps, with his firm faith in Christ he arrived at his native village in 1918 and
something like a dream the First Christianity to the Sangtam Soil was brought on 14th
June 1918
at Tsarü(Chare) village. However, the village elders and the villagers did not allow new
religion to be introduced in the village. They even tried to harassed those people who try to
convert Christianity. But due to Sekyüling firm faith in the Lord, he could be able to convert five
followers”.
i. Khumsingkhaba
ii. Semüngangba
iii. Jongpongnükshi
iv. Moyaniken and
v. Lulenmangyang”
“These first five followers of Christ were Baptist by Rev. Süpongwati Ao In 23rd
August 1925 at
Impur. They tried to work for the establishment of Church at Tsarü village. In the fellowship,
they sung one song which they learnt at Impur, the Song was this”
AO SANGTAM ENGLISH
Tang amang ngang
Tang amang ngang
Tamakoktsü mali
Tamakoktsü mali
Ade Yudsieng
Ade Yutsieng
Amükoknung mühle
Amükoknung mühle
Believe now
Believe now
Everything is possible
Everything is possible
After singing this song, they pray to God and dispersed. When the villagers noticed this news
they were amazed and make laugh of them. Meanwhile the village elders make new rules
thinking that if these Christian religions exist in the village, it will create problems to the
villagers in the near future. So they decided to remove those people who worship the new
religion from the village and ask them to go to the jungle nearby the village sites (Now Yangsi
Pungyung/New Khel at Tsarü village). (Extracted from Cultural Tradition of India reference to
the Sangtam Naga Culture”By Nohochem Sangtam page-90-92,)
On 15th
October 1932 the believers of Christ decided to make new village as per the directive
given by the village elders. From that day onward Christianity spread like a wild fire to all the

9. Sangtam soil and other neighboring tribes of Eastern Nagaland. In February 1946, the first
Sangtam Ashimükhong Bible Conference was held at Tsarü (Chare) village.
Later on United Sangtam Baptist Lithro Ashimükhong(USBLA) was established by all the
Sangtam villages, which function as the apex Board of Sangtam Churches. Its Headquarter is
located at Yangli(Now Yangli Mission centre).
One of the major factors contributing to social change of the Nagas is attributed to the
introduction of Christianity.
The seeds of Christianity sown by the American missionaries had both negative and positive
impact. Christianity was introduced in the 19th
century. The activities of the missionaries were
not merely confined to conversion. They engaged in developmental projects of medical care and
education and by the beginning of the 20th
century, the fruit of this involvement became
apparent. Different activities of Christianity carried out by the early missionaries left a deep
impact upon the tribal mind.
Coming of Education in Sangtam soil
The ancient Sangtam Naga people were illiterate because there was no school nor they had the
idea and capacity to send their children to school. In real sense, they did not know anything
about education. The only means to impart some sort of training and values to the younger
generation was the Murong where the youngster used to get together and learnt from their elders
like folk songs, folklores, household norms, field cultivation technique and warfare norms etc.
In the beginning, the missionary people faced a lot of troubles and inconveniences to persuade
the Nagas to join school and have education, because they were not friendly to them. Even the
guardians were not ready to send their children to the schools established by the Christian
Mission because of two reasons.
a. They had not yet recognized the missionaries and treated them as the spies of the British
government.
b. They were all farmers and their compulsion was to work in the field from dawn to dusk along
with whole family members.
As they did not know the importance of education, they were not ready to send their children to
schools at the cost of their field works. The girls had to perform domestic works besides field
jobs. The devoted missionaries, however, with their mild and sympathetic behavior towards the
Naga people changed the scenario and a day came when the Naga guardians began to realize the
importance of education in life.

10. The first school under Sangtam soil was established in1930 at Tsarü village started by
Imnayongdang Ao Waromong, Tsarü (Chare) village Pastor. The name of the School was
called “Baptist Mission School” (class A-1)
(Extracted from “Cultural tradition of India with reference to the Sangtam Naga”By
Nohochem Sangtam page 101-103)
Coming of Christianity and Education to Konyak Tribe
It was the Ao Nagas who made an attempt to evangelize the Konyak-Nagas. A boy name
N.Longna from Tamlu Village was sent to Impur mission school for studies in 1931.
He was inspired by Christianity and was converted. He was baptized by Rev.Wick strand in 11
December 1932. His conversion marked the beginning of Christianity among the Konyak-Naga.
Mr. Longna continued to live as a good Christian and he has convinced three of his friends and
they took baptism from Impur in 1933, the Church building was constructed at Tamlu Village,
the first church in the land of Konyak Nagas area.
The first mission centre was located at Watching in 1947, however, today it is located at Mon
town.
As Christian grew the neighbouring villages were also inspired and churches were established
until 1949 the Konyak churches were under the supervision of the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang
(ABAM).
Till 1950,Konyak and phoms were also not separated but due to the dialectual differences the
two tribal formed their own Association in 1951.The council of Baptist Churches Assam
(CBCA)took up the konyak as their mission field.
At present there are about 115 Churches under Konyak Baptist Churches.
Khiamniungang Naga
Christainity came to the Khiamnungang Naga in may 1947.The first missionary was Mr.
Imtichuba Chnag From Chingmei.But first Baptistsm was done by Rev.Onenlepden.The first
Baptism was done for Late Mucho of Kusong village(Located near Noklak town). The first
school was established in 1950 ,the name of the school was GPS,Noklak Town.

11. Contribution of Christian Missionaries to Education
1. Literature and Education
“The First and foremost changed brought by Christian Missionaries was the establishment
of educational Institutions and introduction of Language into writing and used as school text
books along with the establishment of churches, side by side establishment of mission schools
have led the people to read and write. Then the people could have their own language –Holy
Bible, Hymn,Hymn Boooks, Dictionary, School Text books and many other books and so on”
2. Vernacular writing Language were given after the arrival of Christian Missionaries.
Before arrival of Chrisitan Missionary Nagas did not know anything about language into writing
It was the Missionaries who taught Nagas to read and write the language. They taugh tribal to
preserve their dialect into writing in Romans Script.
Another Impact of Christianity to the Nagas, they encourages tribal people to give an important
to the vernacular languages.
They first translated Gospels of Mathew and John to the Ao Nagas, Sangtams and others eastern
Trans-Dikhu tribe.
3. Introduce new language as a medium of communication
The English language which they introduced by American missionaries is now being used as
the official language in Nagaland. This makes communication and interaction easier among the
many ethnic groups in Nagaland.
4. Dormitory Education system to modern Education :
Transformation of Traditional system of education into western style of schooling.
They transform Morung system of education into Misssion schools. Today, the Morung
system is no longer in practice among the Tribes.
As for the dormitory system, in the earlier days there were no schools to learn and get educated.
It was only in dormitory which was considered as learning place, where the young boys and girls
are trained and learned the social custom and tradition. Therefore, the activities of the dormitory
covered almost all the social activities of the youth. But after the arrival of Christianity and
introducing the educational system it vanished slowly as the young boys and girls were sent to
schools and colleges instead of dormitory. Thus the days of dormitories have gone away from the

12. 5. Transformation of Women life
The western missionaries especially the American Baptist missionaries who entered the Naga
Hills to spread Christianity also championed the spread of modem education and female
education of the tribal women. The Christian missionaries realized that to evangelize the tribal
who are deeply rooted in their traditional cultures was impossible directly without education.
Therefore, whenever a new mission station was opened, the first thing the missionary used to do
was to establish a school where the students were imparted modem education and the new
Gospel. From the very beginning, the Christian missionaries took interest to educate the women
folk. Thus, the missionaries imparted education to both male and female
The impact of female education can be seen in the present Naga society. Unlike the traditional
Naga society, where women's place is only beside the hearth and doing domestic and agricultural
work, now she can move outside and get herself socially involved. With the growth of literacy
rate of Naga women, the society's attitude in relation to women has broadened a great deal.
Education is spreading very fast among the Naga women. Today, education is encouraged for
both sexes which have gone a long way in raising the status of women in general.
Social development brough by the missionaries to the Naga tribes.
Along with the educational development side by side, the Christian missionaries contributed lots
of social change to the Nagas. Following are the few transformation to the Nagas brought by the
Missionaries.
1. The Impact on Social-Cultural Life of Sangtams-Heat Hunting Culture
One of the impacts brought by Christianity was the abolishing of head-hunting. In olden
days, fighting between the tribes and villages to villages were very common, and during the
battle they chopped the enemy heads and brought to the village. As a result the person who got
many heads was considered as hero in the village. However, the practice of head-hunting
vanished slowly after the advent of Christianity and since then head-hunting was no more heard
and practiced in Sangtam society.
Fear of God, respect for parents, elders, teachers and enough opportunities are provided for the
human resource development of the child with a quality that would make him or her acceptable
in the society.

13. 2. Impact on Traditional beliefs to Medicine treatment
People in the pre-Christian days had lack of medical awareness and had not bothered about their
health. They always believed that sickness was caused by certain spirits and the village priest
was called to do the necessary rites and rituals to restore health of the person. Thus, along with
education and through the missionaries and health workers, people learnt to understand about
their illness and to take care of their health. Prior to the coming of the missionaries, the tribal as
well as the Sangtams had no knowledge of the use of detergents like washing soap, bathing soap,
washing powders, but when Christianity was introduced they came to know the use of such
things. They learnt to take bath daily in order to keep their body neat and tidy and to protect them
from any kinds of diseases.
3. Traditional house to modern concept of House building
Their life standards in those days were indeed very low. Their houses and even those inside the
village compound were very dirty. They kept all domestic animals like cows, pigs, dogs and
chickens in the same house where they lived. It was common to all tribes that the house had a
wall on the front porch decorated with human skulls and animals skulls like buffaloes, cows,
deers, bears, tigers, monkeys and so on. Our ancestors were headhunters and were fond of
killing. These skulls were measured as the degree of the owner’s merit and honor. But this
practice was stopped after the coming of Christianity.
4. Drinking Intoxicants to Spiritual life
The drinking of intoxicants which was very popular among the Sangtams, people who made
liquor was condemned because, it caused people to argue and fight, it degraded the individual,
adversely affected one’s health and wasted money and disturbed the peace of the family and
community. Therefore, the renunciation of such drinks was considered a sign of the person’s
seriousness about wanting to live a changed life. The prohibition of the use of intoxicant
considered both local made liquor (rice beer). The use of intoxicants not only affected the quality
of life but it brought a spiritual defilement of the body. Also in regard to prohibition there was
strong opposition to sexual freedom outside of monogamous marriage. A Christian should
neither commit adultery nor have many spouses. In doing so the missionaries straightened the
institution of marriage.

14. 5. The Impact on Political Life of Sangtams
The impact of Christianity had brought a drastic change in the life of Sangtam in political
administration. Christianity had changed people from head-hunters to peace lover which was a
big step towards a political development. The political consciousness among the people was
reinforced by their educational development. Even the church has contributed to this system
because the elections of the church leaders were done democratically. The exercise of power and
the public’s watchfulness in the church also had given a practical lesson of rights and duties of
the government and the citizens. As a result many efficient political leaders have come up from
the Christian community.
Conclusion
The living condition of people changes throughout history. Society changes in different direction
of variation in local resources and local conditions. Today, Naga society is changing with the
advent of Christianity and education.
When we look in the context today, we can say that the good heritage and culture of our
forefathers and ancestors are diminishing. This can be seen in their dress code, way of thinking,
way of speaking, food habit etc.
It is important that one must be able to adopt to any changing culture as and when the situation
demand maintaining ourselves the best possible balance to our culture to flourish parallelly with
other culture within the given time and circumstances of the era.
Endnote and Reference:
1. 3 Ibid p. 25-29
2. Cultural Tradition of India reference to the Sangtam Naga Culture” By Nohochem
Sangtam p-73,78,90-92,128
3. Telephonic Interview with Mr.Purlemba Sangtam Chare village,dated 12/September 2014
4. Telephonic interview with Mr.Chomungang Sangtam,chare village 18/09/2014