Staff Reporter
A book titled, “Ancient Ao Naga Religion and Culture”, authored by late Panger Imchen, was released by Emeritus Professor of Constructive Theology and Philosophy, OTS, Rev. Dr. Wati Aier on January 22, at DBIDL hall, Dimapur. The book was released in commemoration of Ongpangkon Senso Telongjem Dimapur (OSTD) golden jubilee celebration.
Releasing the book after a dedicatory prayer, Rev. Aier said it held together the tension of existence between culture and Christianity. He noted that the book dwelt on how religion and culture were the two sides of the same coin, and that none could be done away at the expense of the other. He further described late Imchen as an imaginative scholar and regarded him as someone way ahead of his time.
Meanwhile, delivering the publishers note, Dr. Lanusangla Tzudir maintained that the need for second edition of Religion and Culture of the originality of research and primary was found necessary, on the basis of the ancient Ao Naga resources.
She maintained that many past works on Ao Naga continued to rely on ethnographic works of British administrators which were imbued with ethnocentric thinking and binarism of self and other. Lanusangla however noted that late Imchen’s work was one of the pioneering works done by someone from Ao Naga community, from the perspective of the community, and also a story of the underside.
She asserted that for a community that relied on oral narratives and oral traditions, documenting such narration were momentous task, whereby the author had meticulously and critically documented the socio-religion, political and cultural lives of Ao Nagas.
“Through ethnographic research and interviews across the Ao Naga area, he has collected their practices and stories. The book is also credible because he himself is a part of the community and generation of that time when some of the practices that he has observed in his book were in practice. This book is of much relevance to researchers, academicians and others wanting to work on the Southeast Asian Massif lifestyle and ethos. It continues to remain as one of the most critically researched and comprehensive work”, she noted.
Further delivering the book review, Dr. Panger Kechu asserted that the genius of late Imchen’s work on the book was how it stressed much on balancing the cultural and Biblical teachings, which presented on the argument that a Naga can be a good Naga without removing the good practices of Naga culture and also by following Christianity.
Apong Imchen, elder brother of the late Panger, in his short speech, maintained that late Imchen was a hard working person, whose perception on things were ahead of his time and age.
He hoped that the book would speak to Naga minds to draw strength and over the challenges of dilemma in today’s world.
Earlier, the programme chaired by Tiatemsu Longchar and began with an invocation by Imnatoshi Longkumer, while vote of thanks offered by convenor, OSTD golden jubilee planning committee.
It may be noted that late Imchen passed away in 1994 and had authored six books and several unreleased ones.