Published Paper Details:

This paper explores Nhaku, a traditional food-gathering practice among the Chakhesang Nagas of Nagaland, as a lens to understand how indigenous knowledge, cultural identity, and livelihood are deeply interconnected. Nhaku involves the seasonal collection of small aquatic creatures from paddy fields, primarily by women, and is embedded in the community's agrarian rhythm, nutritional habits, and oral traditions. More than a subsistence activity, it reflects sustainable resource use, gendered knowledge transmission, and a collective relationship with the land. Based on interviews with local elders and practitioners, the study highlights the cultural, ecological, and medicinal significance of Nhaku, while also addressing the need to preserve anpromote its cultural and medicinal significance. The paper calls for documentation, community engagement, and cultural revitalization to preserve this practice. By situating Nhaku within broader discourses on traditional ecological knowledge and food heritage, the paper argues that sustaining such practices is vital not only for cultural continuity but also for promoting sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.