{"id":319,"date":"2026-02-23T07:46:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T07:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.highlanderpress.org\/wordpress_C\/?p=319"},"modified":"2026-02-23T07:51:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T07:51:37","slug":"echoes-of-the-past-zhavame-village-nagaland-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.highlanderpress.org\/index.php\/2026\/02\/23\/echoes-of-the-past-zhavame-village-nagaland-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Echoes of the Past \u2014 Zhavame Village, Nagaland: Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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By Lue Chi<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Balancing Tradition and Modernity<\/span><\/p>

Alongside economic changes and the decline in spiritual rituals, Zhavame village has also seen shifts in its governance structures. However, land management and conflict resolution continue to partially rely on traditional practices.\u00a0In the past, leadership rested with chief priests and a war chief, who made key decisions for the village. However, with British rule and later the formation of Nagaland\u2019s government, the leadership system evolved. The role of the chieftain transitioned to the Village Council Chairman. Along with this change, new administrative systems were introduced, including the establishment of Village Sub-Councils to address local issues. In the year 2026, the village will mark the 50th anniversary of the Sub-Clan Council.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Zhavame village with golden paddy fields behind it. Photograph@ Sholu Movi<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Village Council and Sub-Councils play a crucial role in managing community affairs, including land management and dispute resolution. While the Village Council holds primary authority, it delegates responsibility to the Sub-Council, particularly in civil matters. Like other Naga villages, Zhavame also has a Youth Society, where young people actively contribute to forest conservation under the oversight of the Village Council and\u00a0Gaon Buras (GBs).<\/p>

Recently, the Village Council passed written laws in both the local language\u2014Tenyidie<\/em>, and English. These laws preserve customary practices related to heritage, land dispute resolution, and land management. This approach ensures that solutions respect both tradition and evolving societal changes while maintaining close collaboration with local groups. As they witness ongoing shifts in culture and the loss of forests, they strive to balance modern development with the preservation of their village\u2019s way of life. This effort is particularly evident in forest conservation, where they continuously work to integrate traditional practices with modern governance.<\/p>

According to the village\u00a0Gaon Bura<\/em>\u00a0and Village Council secretary, Zhavame has two major reserved forests. The first is the Zhavame Students\u2019 Union (ZSU) Reserve Land, established about 20 years ago to promote wildlife and forest conservation. It is managed by students. Initially located on the lower side of the village near the Manipur border, land disputes with a neighboring village began in 2013. While the issue was mostly resolved, one section remains in dispute. To address this, the\u00a0Village Council Chairman (VCC)\u00a0and village leaders relocated the reserve in\u00a02018\u00a0to the upper side of the village near\u00a0Kapamodzu Mountain. This new site remains a virgin forest, untouched by deforestation, and is strictly protected\u2014neither individuals nor the community are allowed to cut plants or trees there. The second area is the Community Reserve Land, established\u00a0in 1994\u00a0along the Manipur border. It is\u00a0also under strict protection, with hunting, tree-cutting, and the collection of plants and animals completely prohibited. However, during\u00a0fundraising events or special community occasions, limited access may be granted. The reserve was initially set up to protect wildlife species like the\u00a0Hoolock gibbon, Blyth\u2019s tragopan, and hornbill. Unfortunately, due to deforestation in the surrounding areas, these species have migrated elsewhere and are no longer seen or heard in the village.<\/p>

The Village Council Secretary said that the idea for\u00a0the Zhavame Students\u2019 Union conservation initiative\u00a0emerged as\u00a0jhum<\/em>\u00a0cultivation\u00a0led to widespread deforestation, which many believed had reduced rainfall and contributed to broader climate changes, such as\u00a0unpredictable weather, soil drying, hailstorms, and more. To counter this, the\u00a0Students\u2019 Union\u00a0introduced a policy:\u00a0for every tree cut, ten must be planted. This initiative has played a vital role in environmental conservation.\u00a0The Zhavame Students\u2019 Union has full authority over its reserved land and receives strong support from the\u00a0Village Council, Youth Society, and Women Society. Even students living outside the village contribute by providing information and assistance in managing the reserve.<\/p>

The Head\u00a0Gaon Bura<\/em>\u00a0stated that the Village Community Reserve Land is primarily protected by the Youth Society and the Village Council (VC). The\u00a0Gaon Buras<\/em>\u00a0also play an essential role in resolving land-related issues, in collaboration with the Village Council. Fortunately, land disputes have significantly decreased in recent years. The younger generation has a better understanding of and respect for traditional customs and laws, leading to fewer conflicts, as noted by the Village Sub-Council Chairman.<\/p>

Another\u00a0Gaon Bura<\/em>\u00a0explained that hunting is\u00a0strictly prohibited\u00a0in the conservation areas. Bringing\u00a0firearms\u00a0into these zones is banned, and violators face heavy fines. If a person\u00a0fires a gun, even without hitting a target, they must pay a\u00a0fine of \u20b920,000. Last year, three young men from\u00a0Manipur\u00a0were caught\u00a0illegally hunting a wild boar\u00a0in the protected forest. They were apprehended by the\u00a0Youth Society\u00a0and fined\u00a0\u20b920,000 each.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Village leaders explained land management to the research team. Photograph@ Sholu Movi<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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During a group discussion with village leaders, we also learnt that whenever a gunshot is heard, the youth patrol team immediately investigates. Although checks are not conducted daily, regular patrols are carried out. Disputes related to conservation violations are handled by the\u00a0Youth Society and the Village Council. If offenders refuse to comply, the matter may be passed on to the\u00a0Chakhesang People\u2019s Organization (CPO), at the district level. However, most cases are resolved within the village itself. In extreme situations, repeat offenders can be expelled from the community, though such an incident has\u00a0never occurred.<\/p>

The\u00a0Youth Society also conducts annual patrols\u00a0along the\u00a0village boundaries\u00a0to enforce conservation laws. However, inspecting the\u00a0entire boundary in a single trip\u00a0is challenging \u2014 it takes\u00a0about four days\u00a0to complete a full survey of the protected areas.<\/p>

In a conversation with an 85-year-old woman, she shared how certain lands in Zhavame village became communal property. This transformation was driven by social and economic necessities, particularly to support widows without male children. Traditionally, when a woman\u2019s husband passed away, she was often sent back to her original clan. If her relatives\u2014such as brothers or uncles\u2014were compassionate, they might grant her a small plot of land for cultivation. However, if no support was offered, she would be left without land to sustain herself.<\/p>

To address this vulnerability, village leaders designated land on the upper side of the road as communal land. This decision gave widows, as well as other landless villagers, the opportunity to apply for cultivation rights through the Village Council Committee on an annual basis. Over time, access expanded beyond widows, allowing any villager without land in the area to cultivate there.<\/p>

A middle-aged couple also explained how the community now accesses this land, commonly referred to as \u2018widower land\u2019 or simply \u2018communal land.\u2019 Covering approximately 4 square kilometres, this land was originally open to all villagers for cultivation around 25 years ago. However, in recent years, the Village Council and Sub-Council have introduced a more structured allocation process. The land is now divided into three plots for each clan, with the responsibility for distribution falling to the respective Clan Councils or Sub-Councils.<\/p>

When we spoke with the Sub-Village Council Chairman, he explained that to ensure the land is effectively used, the council introduced a policy requiring clans to fully cultivate their allocated plots; otherwise, they risk losing access to new plots the following year. In 2023, some applicants failed to utilise the land they were granted, leading the council to suspend new cultivation for 2024. This structured approach reflects a shift from informal access to regulated management, balancing communal support with accountability.<\/p>

During our land mapping session, when we discussed the land\u2019s history with village elders and leaders, they confirmed that the transition from individual ownership to communal land took place in 1960. The village leaders had negotiated with landowners to convert the land into community property, aiming to support those without land in the area. Interestingly, it was not specifically designated as \u2018widowers\u2019 land\u2019; rather, it was intended for both widows and other landless individuals .<\/p>

According to the Village Council Secretary, today, most of the over 300 households have secured their share of the land and actively cultivate cabbage and other vegetables. In the past, the area was considered unsuitable for farming due to its cold climate. However, in recent years, climate change has made the area ideal for cabbage cultivation, turning it into a vital agricultural resource for the community.<\/p>

Food\u00a0Sovereignty\u2014Eating Local Food<\/h5>

Village elders continue to encourage community members to cultivate traditional crops, especially rice. The importance of food sovereignty was particularly emphasised during the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions disrupted movement between villages. For households that relied on buying rice rather than growing it, this period was especially difficult. Elders highlighted how risky it is to depend entirely on external markets for basic food supplies. In response, many farmers began planting more rice to ensure food security for their families. A local researcher, reflecting on his parents\u2019 experiences, noted that rice cultivation has increased in recent years. Some families\u2014even those who have settled elsewhere\u2014return each season to plant paddy.<\/p>

One farmer in his 50s shared that his family eats only home-grown rice. He acknowledged that cultivating paddy is more labour-intensive than other crops, but their experience during the lockdown made them determined not to rely on market rice again. With roads blocked and essential supplies inaccessible, they realised the value of being self-sufficient.<\/p>

Health is another reason why locals prefer their own rice. They believe that market rice, often grown with chemical fertilisers, leaves people feeling hungry soon after eating. In contrast, their organic rice keeps them full longer and is believed to be healthier. The farmer also pointed out the harmful effects of chemical fertilisers\u2014not only on human health but also on soil quality\u2014which is why their use is strictly limited by the Village Council. Moreover, organically grown produce fetches a better price in the market, offering both health and economic benefits.<\/p>

A woman from the village added that chemical fertilisers are completely banned in their community. \u2018We only farm using natural methods,\u2019 she explained. When pests appear, they make their own organic pesticides by grinding garlic, king chilli, and ginger. Some women still follow traditional practices passed down from their ancestors, such as using tobacco leaves as insect repellents, while others sprinkle ashes from cooking stoves to keep pests away.<\/p>

In Zhavame, traditional knowledge and evolving practices continue to shape how people live in harmony with nature. These customs reflect deep-rooted wisdom about the land, while modern changes bring both benefits and challenges. As the village moves forward, keeping its culture alive while finding creative ways to adapt will be key to a resilient future.\u00a0<\/p>

Traditional beliefs, spiritual practices, livelihoods, local forests, and ways of life have all undergone changes, alongside unpredictable climate shifts. In earlier times, vast forests surrounded the village, helping regulate the weather and providing shelter for a wide range of wild animals. Today, however, the climate has become less stable and more extreme. For instance, in March 2024, the village experienced an unusually intense hailstorm. Residents recalled that the hailstones were so large they took nearly three days to melt\u2014something no one in the village had ever witnessed before.<\/p>

In response to these environmental changes and their growing impact, both village elders and youths have taken proactive steps to conserve the forests and protect what remains. By establishing reserve lands and enforcing conservation laws, the people of Zhavame are working to restore balance\u2014honouring tradition while adapting to new realities. It is this blend of memory and movement, rootedness and change, that defines their ongoing journey.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Echoes of the Past \u2014 Zhavame Village, Nagaland: P<\/strong>art 3<\/strong><\/h4>

Lu Chi<\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0MyClimate Senior Researcher<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Lue Chi \u00a0 Balancing Tradition and Modernity Alongside economic changes and the decline in spiritual rituals, Zhavame village has 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