Place of women in Bujuur society: Before and after Christianity

Abstract

The article is an examination of questions on gender equality and inclusivity among the Bujuur tribe of Manipur (India) and Myanmar. It is premised from the general notion among the Nagas and especially among the Bujuur that Christianity and modernity brought development and social changes and that women in the Bujuur society enjoyed almost equal rights to their male counterparts. The study takes into accounts two stratified period, viz, Pre-Christianity which was considered as the period of social backwardness and Post-Christianity which is considered as development and modern period to understand the ways in which women were oppressed in the past and how far have Christianity and modernity liberated women from traditional burdens. The article argues that despite the promises of hopes and changes, Christianity was not able to garner progressive gender equality among the Bujuur Naga and instead, it pushes the society into more patriarchal and patrilineal systems. The aim is to present the realities of women within the Bujuur, and Naga society as a whole, and to relook into the customs and practices and actively debate on social disparities if they were to aspire for a progressive and sustainable future.