‘To Raise the Savage to a Higher Level’: The Westernization of Nagas and their Culture

Abstract

Westernization is a pervasive modern phenomenon. Its impact is more pervasive and pernicious than many people are aware and/or willing to admit. The spread of the dominant Western culture has caused a gradual demise of many peripheral cultures. The incursion of Western agents into Naga soil, beginning with British military conquest and American missionary intrusion, has resulted in a significant influence and westernization of Nagas and their culture and worldview. Consequently, it is almost a cliché to assert that since colonial contact the long-evolved Naga traditional values are being replaced by Western values. Today, the literal colonization of Nagas by the imperial West has ended, but the process of westernization is continuing, thanks to the ongoing influence being exerted by modern media, technology and other trends of globalization. My objective in this paper is not to highlight the ‘form’ or ‘material’ aspect of the culture, such as clothing (although mimicry in this area is almost faultless among a large section of Nagas), rather, my goal is to discuss the current state of mindset and fundamental cultural structures of the Nagas that have resulted from the adjustments in the lives and minds of the people because of the imposition of westernization. In fact, it is more than merely a process of adjustment consequent upon conquest, it is an extensive overhauling of cultural institutions, values and practices. I will underscore the westernization of some basic social structures and the mindset of the people.

Conveying Impetus for Fostering Tourism and Hospitality Entrepreneurship in Touristic Destination: Lessons Learnt from Pokhara, Nepal

“…Th e progression of the contemporary service industries (Clancy, 2001;Jonsson Kvist & Klefsjö, 2006) -aft er World War II (Middleton & Lickorish, 2007) travel and tourism started gearing up and some specifi c touristic destinations have served as a backbone for the developing countries (Smeral, 1988;Akis, 2011;Chou, 2013). And the growth has noticeably increased all types of entrepreneurship, jobs, infrastructure, modernization, westernization, globalization and living standards of the local (Endy, 1998;Yudina et al, 2016;Furr, 2004;Th ong, 2012;Irandu, 2014;Durydiwka, 2014). In addition, westernization and globalization eff ects in Pokhara are more apparent that (Zurick, 1992;Stevens, 1993;Nepal & Karst, 2017;Nyaupane et al, 2006;Nepal, 2007;McLean, 1999) observe the multicultural celebration, like X-Mass, English New Year, Valentine Day and other street carnivals on rise marking the western infl uence in Nepalese touristic destinations.…”

Does westernization influence the business culture of a touristic city?

“…This can be witnessed in the light of the rapid and broad sociocultural changes in many countries around the globe. In this context, Thong (2012) defines westernization as a process whereby countries, places and persons adopt ideas and behavior akin to Europe and America in contrast to preserving their own traditions, which is common in tourism business as tourists seek their homely environment at host destinations. Effects of westernization can also be witnessed in different destinations of the world in rather various forms, like impacting religiosity in Dubai that has been taken negatively by its residents with the fear of losing their cultural identity and authenticity (Zaiden, 2016); increasing pressure of westernization in Kenya after it became a the prominent tourist destination in Africa in 1970s (Irandu, 2014; in coastal areas where majority of seaside resorts are greatly influenced by westernization, also known as Americanization or coca-colization (Durydiwka, 2014) and so forth.…”

“…In terms of global mobilities, Cohen & Cohen (2012) opine that tourism is a part of heterogeneous complex. And, westernization is a process by which countries under colonization accept the Western culture (Said, 2014) in areas such as food, clothes, hospitality, decoration, lifestyle, language, philosophies, and values (Thong, 2012). In giving the meaning of the westernization, Upreti (1991) makes an assertion for the terms westernization and modernization being used synonymously since to be modernized implies the act of pursuing Western modelled development and he further claims that westernization or modernization or globalization as whatever expressions, have threatened the social structure and cultural values of indigenous people.…”

Effect of westernization on oral health among college students of Udaipur City, India

“…Westernization is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in areas such as industry, technology, law, politics, economics, lifestyle, diet, clothing, language, alphabet, religion, philosophy, and values [2]. Westernization has been an accelerating influence across the world over the last few centuries, with some researchers assuming westernization to be the equivalent of modernization [3], a way of thought that is often debated.…”