Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland has formally appealed to India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, to intervene in the impending auction of Naga human remains scheduled in the UK. This issue, brought to light by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), has ignited outrage among the Naga community, highlighting the cultural and emotional significance of these ancestral remains.
In a letter dated October 8, Rio expressed profound concern over the auction of a “19th century horned Naga human skull” set to be sold by Swan Fine Art in Oxfordshire, with an estimated value between £3,500-4,000. He condemned the auction as a violation of human dignity and a perpetuation of colonial violence against the Naga people. “The auctioning of human remains deeply hurts the sentiments of our people and is considered an act of dehumanization,” he stated.
Rio has called for immediate action from the Indian government, urging Dr. Jaishankar to coordinate with the Indian High Commission in the UK to halt the auction. He stressed that the remains of any deceased individual rightfully belong to their communities and should be treated with respect and reverence.
The FNR, comprising church leaders and civil society representatives, has denounced the commodification of indigenous remains as collector’s items. They have been advocating for the repatriation of Naga ancestral remains, particularly from institutions like the Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford University, as part of ongoing efforts to restore dignity and rights to the Naga people.
