The return of Naga ancestral remains to their homeland within a short period of twenty days is not merely the repatriation of human remains. It is a historic moral event, a spiritual homecoming, and a moment of collective awakening. It invites us to pause, reflect, and ask: What does this moment require of us as a people? What future does it call us to imagine and build together?
In his influential work, “The Ideas That Conquered the World,” Michael Mandelbaum argues that three ideas have increasingly shaped successful societies and nations in the modern world, peace, democracy, and cooperation through shared prosperity. These ideas became powerful not because they were imposed by force, but because societies discovered that they offered a more hopeful and sustainable future.
The return of our ancestors offers the Nagas an opportunity to embrace these same ideas in a distinctly Naga way. Our ancestors have come home. The question now is whether their return can help bring us home to one another.
For generations, Nagas have carried stories of courage, sacrifice, struggle, and aspiration. We have also carried wounds arising from conflict, division, and misunderstanding. Yet the journey of these ancestral remains from the Pitt Rivers Museum of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, to the Naga homeland reminds us of a truth that, though separated by geography, tribe, denomination, state boundaries, and political differences, our origins remain connected. The ancestors are not returning to one tribe. They are not returning to one village. They are not returning to one political group. They are returning to all Nagas. Their homecoming belongs to every Naga community and every generation. Our ancestral homecoming is not under the monopoly of any tribe or any organization.
Throughout history, other peoples have experienced transformative moments through the return of cultural and ancestral heritage. Indigenous communities in New Zealand welcomed back Mãori ancestral remains from museums across the world. Native American nations in the United States received the remains and sacred objects of their forebears through long processes of repatriation. Aboriginal peoples in Australia similarly reclaimed ancestral remains that had been taken away during colonial times.
The return of the ancestors is more than a correction of historical injustice. It is a catalyst for cultural renewal, healing, reconciliation, and renewed confidence about the future. The Nagas now stand before a similar opportunity. The return of our ancestors is not only about the past. It is about what kind of future we choose to create.
One lesson we learn from our own history on peace is that we are learning to replace rivalry with cooperation. A strong point in time is, once the battleground of devastating “factional” violence, has gradually discovered that shared institutions and common interests could achieve what conflict never could. We can allude to the fact that Nagas had fought one another for decades have learned to sit together, deliberate together, and build together.
Today, Naga people can draw inspiration from our past experience. Our future will not be secured by remembering only what divides us. It will be strengthened by remembering what unites us from the history of the “Covenant of Reconciliation,” of 13 June, 2008. The return of our ancestors reminds us that our identity precedes our differences. Before there were political divisions, we were a people. Before there were administrative boundaries, we were connected through shared histories, kinship networks, values, and cultural memories. Our ancestors endured hardships so that future generations might stand with dignity. They now call us to demonstrate a dignity grounded in mutual respect.
A second lesson we may draw from our own experience is the importance of inclusive participation. Democracy as one of the defining ideas of successful societies because it recognizes the dignity and voice of all people. For the Nagas, democracy means more than electoral procedures. It means ensuring that every tribe matters. Every village matters. Every region matters. Every generation matters. Women matter. Youth matter. Churches matter. Civil society matters.
When our ancestors return, they return not only to the elders who remember history but also to the children who will shape the future. Therefore, this occasion should inspire a renewed commitment to inclusive dialogue and collective decision-making. The future of the Nagas cannot be built by a few voices alone. It must be shaped through broad participation, patient conversation, and respect for each other.
A third lesson comes from the idea of shared prosperity. Around the world, societies that succeeded in transforming themselves learned that unity becomes stronger when people work together for common well-being. The Nagas possess extraordinary human gifts. We possess a rich cultural heritage. We possess strong communities. We possess a young generation filled with creativity and aspiration.
The return of our ancestors should inspire us to think beyond immediate concerns and embrace a generational vision. What kind of educational institutions do we wish to build? What kind of economy do we wish to develop? What kind of environmental stewardship do we wish to practice? What kind of relationships do we wish to nurture among ourselves and with our neighbours?
These questions are not separate from the return of our ancestors. They are the practical expressions of honouring them. We honour our ancestors not merely through ceremonies. We honour them by building a future worthy of their memory. The return of these ancestral remains also offers an important spiritual lesson. Throughout Naga cultures, ancestors are not simply historical figures. They are carriers of memory, identity, and belonging. Likewise, remembering our past should not trap us in old grievances. Rather, it should give us confidence to face new possibilities.
Today, the eyes of our young people are upon us. They are asking whether we can rise above inherited divisions. They are asking whether we can imagine a common future. They are asking whether the many stories of the Naga people can converge into a shared journey. The return of our ancestors gives us an opportunity to answer yes. Let it be remembered as the beginning of a new chapter. A chapter in which we march together, not because we agree on everything, but because we recognize that we belong to one another. May the return of our ancestors awaken in us the wisdom to seek peace, the courage to walk together, and the vision to build a future in which all Nagas can stand with dignity, hope, and purpose. May the ancestors rest in peace and the living walk in unity carrying the strength of memory and the promise of a shared future.
KUKNALIM
Forum for Naga Reconciliation/Recover, Restore and Decolonize (RRaD)
Wati Aier
Convener, FNR.
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