The development of colonial education in Mon district with special reference to Totok village

Abstract

This study examines the development of colonial education and its impact on the Konyak Naga community, with special reference to Totok Village in Mon District, Nagaland. The colonial education provided by Christian missionaries has had a profound impact on the Konyaks in general, changing many facets of their way of life. Prior to colonial education, Konyak Naga men and women received their education and learned their ways of life in an institution known as Ban, a dormitory for men and Ywo for women. However, these indigenous institutions gradually lost their importance with the advent of the colonial education system. The Ao Naga missionaries were the first to introduce formal education among the Konyaks. Among the Konyak areas, Tamlu and Wakching were regarded as pioneers of English education, which later spread to other Konyak villages. The study adopts a qualitative research approach and is delimited to Totok Village in Mon District. Totok comprises five villages: Totok Chingnyu, Totok Chingkho, Totok Chingha, Totok Chinglen, and Totok Omlen. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources and analysed using content analysis. Interviews were conducted with ten respondents, including early educated elders and senior citizens of the village.