From Subsistence to Market: Consumption, Identity, and Cultural Transformation in Contemporary Naga Society
Keywords:
Tangkhul Naga, Market, Consumption, Identity, CultureAbstract
This article examines the aspects of consumption, identity, and cultural transformation in contemporary Naga society, with particular emphasis on the Tangkhul Nagas, through the analytical lens of market integration. Based on historically grounded ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Ukhrul district, Manipur, this study examines the transformation of socio-economic practices and identities among the Nagas over time. The study situates these transitions within broader theoretical discourse of modernity and identity construction. It argues that the transitional process is not merely an economic reorientation but a profound cultural transformation, in which local actors actively navigate tensions between tradition and emerging forms of social and material life. By centring the experiences of the Nagas, this study deepens our understanding of rural transformation and the contested terrain of tribal modernity in an increasingly globalised world.
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Published on: 06-05-2026
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