INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIELD

The Zeliang Nagas are an indigenous ethnic group of Nagaland, who possess a vibrant cultural heritage deeply rooted in customs, oral traditions, and communal activities. Among their diverse practices, traditional dances and indigenous games plays a central role in shaping social identity, cohesion, and generational continuity among the community. This study examines the cultural significance of dancing and games in Zeliang Naga society, highlighting how these activities reflect their worldview, valor, and aesthetic sensibilities. Relying primarily on oral history from elders, supported by community-authored materials, this ethnographic inquiry documents key dances such as the War Dance, Koksui, Nruinelim, and Temangnelim, as well as popular traditional games like wrestling, high jump, cock fighting, and intellectual games such as pebble games (Heret). These cultural expressions deeply embedded in festivals, rites of passage, and community celebrations, continue to play an essential role in the social life of the Zeliangs and offer a window into their ancestral legacy.