Vol 2 No 1, 2026 Research Article
Research Scholar, Centre for Naga Tribal Language Studies (CNTLS), Nagaland University
Kohima Campus, Meriema
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21659/iw/v2n1/v2n104
[Article History: Received: 13 June 2026. Accepted: 15 October 2026. Published: 18 October 2026]
Abstract
In the Ao-Naga community, flowers play a significant role as expressions of beauty and aesthetics while also having their own cultural lives. They also carry indigenous folk wisdom and traditional healing practices passed down through the ages. Each indigenous flower carries its own cultural meaning. They are also used in the practice and perpetuation of cultural codes and values; seen in the way they are captured in the folklore of the tribe. They feature widely in the songs, tales, and other verbal arts such as proverbs and proverbial sayings, as well as in the material culture of the Ao-Nagas, thereby reflecting the intimate bond that the Ao-Nagas have with nature and, in this instance, particularly flowers.
The floral imagery in the Ao-Naga cultural imagination is embedded with motifs and meanings in folktales, traditional attires, and adornments and has several ethical implications, metaphorical significance, and artistic expressions. For the Aos, any plant that bears flowers is categorized as a flower (naro) and has indigenous names. Metsüben Naro (Rhododendrons), for instance, is a renowned flower for its iconic representations in poetic songs, expressions, and its symbolic embodiment of love in oral narratives like Jina and Etiben. The cultural ecology of the Aos is deeply encapsulated in the “sacred lore” such as Naklu Ken (floral folk songs); Walokwatem (rites and rituals); festivals like Moatsü and Tsüngremmong; and ceremonies like Kika–süchi (feast of merit).
This paper delves into the world of flowers as encapsulated in the Ao-Naga Oral tradition, specifically looking at the role and significance of floral culture through various aspects. Particular emphasis has been given to look at the rhododendron within the context of cultural practices, values, and cultural memory of the lived reality of the Aos as reflected in the lore of the tribe. Most significantly, the paper analyses how Ao Nagas imbue their natural surroundings with meaning.
Keywords: Naklu Ken, Metsüben Naro, indigenous folk wisdom, Ao-Nagas, folklore.
