Cartographic Lines, Oral Narratives and Linguistic Contours in Northeast (India) Borders: A Case of Manipur–Nagaland Border Site

Abstract

Oral traditions and history suggest that the ethnic groups at Northeast borders lived in widespread accord sustaining soft jutted boundaries until very recently when the modern state(s), and its politics, resonates on administratively divided lines. The borders and the ethnic groups were never at dispute, yet, though of lately, they are confused (or rather misled) only to realise their ancestral lands situated on either side of the administrative state boundaries. This essay invites discourse on if the political state boundaries need to be revisited historically and redrawn or to rely on the ancestral-inherited ownership without perplexing it with the political boundaries. The essay also concerns on whether we can rely on the linguistic contours and vernacular place names to contest the given cartographic lines. The essay selects a border site (Manipur–Nagaland) for discussion.