Aspects of Culture, Religion and Art in the Hill Societies of the North East

Abstract

Much before one can speak of the art of the North East and its relation to religion it is imperative to deconstruct the very terms, the 'North-East', 'art', and 'religion'. Above all the category of 'tribe' that leads to a hierarchy of evaluation in the cultural realm needs unpacking. The disciplines of history, sociology, and anthropology in India are predominantly the inheritance of west~rn concepts and categories. The very term North-east ts .a misnomer: a glossing over the separate states with ~etr varied characters. Each state has its identity and a unique set of issues.