Thinglhang Lou: linkages between swidden, culture, and ecology in Manipur, Northeast India

Abstract

Emerging human ecological discussions bring forth literature and studies from marginalised groups and indigenous communities whose knowledge about nature and subsistence livelihood practices have long been seen as ‘non-scientific’ and, therefore, unworthy of serious research. As a result, perceptions of swidden cultivation as ‘destructive’ to ecosystems are changing, and studies now focus on the interlinkages of swidden farmers with land, animals, identity, and livelihoods. In this paper, we argue that swidden should be considered as a farming practice that goes beyond subsistence and overlaps with people's belief systems and social and eco-cultural lifeways. Using the notion of thinglhang lou, the swidden practice of Manipur's Kuki, we show the interlinkages between land, humans, and spirits and the important role they play in their socio-cultural worlds. Through ethnographic exploration involving participant observation, interviews, and focus group discussions among the Kuki, this study shows how and in what ways swidden farming helps in understanding cultural linkages with ecological sustainability. With modern developments radically altering the habitat and eroding cultural heritage, we argue that Kuki's notion of thinglhang lou can be a powerful contribution to our understanding of the environment and knowledge systems.