“Nagaland/lim for Christ”: Semiotics in Christianity among the Naga People in Northeast India

Abstract

The appropriation of a religious faith in a particular context involves its interpretation within a cultural web of significance. This involves the use of signs and symbols that have acquired specific meanings in a given culture; an analysis of these signs and symbols reveals realities in the society. This article deals with symbolism pertaining to Christianity among the Naga people in Northeast India. Taking the popular slogan “Nagaland/lim for Christ” as the starting point, the article discusses how such symbols reveal a complex interaction of Christian faith and the culture of the land, resulting in the formation of a distinct form of Christianity. The article argues that the slogan is a symbolic representation of how the appropriation of Christianity among the Naga people involves both the articulation of and creation of realities in the culture.