How Anyuwi Khel in Meluri preserved animism

The missionaries and evangelists have worked hard to convert the Animists since the British arrived. Few people in the community of Anyuwi (meaning “old village”), Meluri, have managed to keep their animism, though.

Meluri is a subdivision in the Indian state of Nagaland’s Phek District. Even though Anyuwi has four khels (aphruh), which from this perspective might be called sub-khels, namely Khutsori, Phrütheri, Zhikhuori, and Zhithsüri, it is still regarded as a khel under the management of Meluri Village Council.

There are 96 homes in Anyuwi as of December 2021, according to the village Goanbura, of which 62 are Catholic, 18 are Baptist, and 16 are Animist. The Khel has 376 residents in total, of which 281 are Catholic, 71 are Baptist, and 24 are Animists.

It is said that Leshimo P. Nyusou became the first Pochury to convert in 1938 while attending Kohima Mission School. He was the Pochury Tribal Council’s first and founding president. The year 1938 is considered as the year Pochury became Christian.

According to reports, Leshimo’s wife intended to host a feast of merit, which was contrary to Christian life because she had not converted to Christianity. However, after consulting with fellow Christians, he proceeded to listen to his wife and organized a feast of merit in 1946. However, on 23rd February, his house burnt down and the fire spread to other neighboring houses, setting almost the entire village aflame. This was viewed as a clarion call for the people of Meluri and Leshimo asked his villagers to become Christian. On 24th February, 1946 many Meluri folks converted to Christianity and the day is celebrated as the Meluri Village Church Foundation Day.

When people initially converted to Christianity, the majority Animists forbade any converts from residing in the same village. As a result, the town of Khumiasü, Rehuope Khel (also known as Müluori Catholic), and Jisou Khel (composed primarily of Baptist homes) were established. Since they ceased making the ritual offering to Nyinyiza-kajiwa, which means “chief spirit,” the deity, the creator of the universe, who has the same status as a god, the converts were driven from the village by Animists who blamed them for the poor harvest. Currently, there is no serious social tension between any of the religious groups that coexist under the same Village Council.

Later, during 1950s, the Indian military forces gave the name ‘Hindu Khel’ to Anyuwi when they found out that there were very few Christians in the region. Informants, Animists and Christians alike, detest the name ‘Hindu Khel’ because the Anyuwi community retained their traditional belief system and practices.

Generally, the Christians of Anyuwi loathe the name ‘Hindu Khel’ because they have converted to Christianity and they have stopped practicing the old religion. The Animists loathe the name given to them because they believe that Anyuwi is a more apt name as it is the old Meluri village where the first settlement took place and they assert that their practices do not resemble that of the Hindu religious practices.

The survival of a Naga community with a considerable number of animist houses, though dwindling with time, raises the question of how animism survived to the present day. One of the causes could be the late introduction of Christianity in Meluri, which occurred only a few decades into the twentieth century, as opposed to the Ao community’s adoption of Christianity in 1872. The isolated areas and strong animist opposition to conversion to Christianity slowed the pace of proselytization in the Meluri region.

The Naga indigenous religion is called Animistic due to the tendency to perceive inanimate natural elements such as stones, rivers, valleys, and mountains as having spirits. Living in harmony with nature is an important principle of Animism, as Animists believe they owe their lives to nature, which provides them with all they need.

By Tümüzo Katiry | A Mokokchung Times Feature