PCC organises dialogue on repatriation of Naga ancestral remains

The Department of History, Patkai Christian College (Autonomous), organized an interactive dialogue on “Understanding the Process of Repatriating Naga Ancestral Remains” on September 12 at MSSM Building, Room No. 103. The event aimed to foster awareness and understanding of the ongoing efforts to repatriate ancestral human remains of the Nagas from the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM), University of Oxford.
The dialogue featured members of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and the Recover Restore and Decolonise (RRaD) initiative, including coordinator RRaD, Rev. Dr. Ellen Konyak Jamir; Nepuni Piku; Dr. Aküm Longchari; and Sopie Joel Rungsung. The session was chaired by Dr. Thejalhoukho Casavi, faculty member of the History Department.
Rev. Dr. Jamir emphasized that repatriation must be a collective initiative of the Naga people, transcending institutional boundaries. She described the process as a journey of reclaiming dignity, healing intergenerational trauma and fostering reconciliation. She urged the community to reflect on historical pain and contemporary challenges through a unified lens.
Nepuni Piku provided a historical overview of the Naga people from pre-colonial times to the post-colonial era. He discussed the implications of imposed identities and the denial of self-determination, linking these to the objectification and commodification of Naga culture. He contextualized the repatriation movement within global museum reform efforts and called for the creation of indigenous narratives rooted in authenticity and justice.
Dr. Aküm Longchari explored the consequences of historical erasure and the colonial production of knowledge. He described museums as contested spaces of power and potential healing and emphasized the importance of community dialogue and consent in shaping the repatriation process. He asserted that repatriation is not an end, but a means to reclaim memory, identity and cultural agency.
The session concluded with a Q&A segment, allowing students and attendees to engage directly with the speakers. Rapporteurs for the event were Kili Kiba, Lily Shohe, Vitsumong, and Aben Kikon, all fifth-semester students of the History Department.
The department also announced the introduction of a new interdisciplinary course titled “Decolonization, Repatriation, and Reconciliation,” currently offered to third-semester students, reflecting its commitment to critical historical inquiry and indigenous scholarship.