Decolonizing Naga Identity: A Study of TemsülaAo’s Literary Representation of Indigenous Resistance

Abstract

This paper examines the decolonization of Naga identity through TemsülaAo’s literary works, with a particular focus on These Hills Called Home: Stories from a War Zone (2006). The study explores how Ao’s narratives interrogate colonial history and its ongoing impact on Naga identity, analysing themes of cultural alienation, resistance, and the search for an authentic self. Ao’s incorporation of indigenous resistance through oral traditions, folklore, and mythology offers a unique framework for understanding how colonialism shaped, fragmented, and continues to influence the cultural consciousness of the Naga people. Through her literary lens, Ao provides a critique of the colonial and postcolonial landscapes, calling for the revitalization and reclamation of Naga identity in the face of oppressive historical narratives.