KSC’s anthropology students study Mopungchuket’s social institutions

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, Nov. 23 (EMN): Thirty-three students of anthropology from Kohima Science College are currently camping at Mopungchuket village in Mokokchung district for a five-day study tour. Under the guidance of two teachers, the 6th semester students arrived here on Monday. They are under the supervision of Dr. David Tetso and J. Konyak, assistant professors in the college’s department of anthropology.
The students are divided into five groups to study five specific subjects during their stay in the village. The subjects are the village’s political structure, land holding system, impact of tourism, body mass index, and blood pressure.
The body mass index and blood pressure are part of studies about the villagers’ general physical index; the students collect data of height, weight and blood pressure to determine the villagers’ physical index.
On the subject of political structure in the village, they study the hierarchy of the Putu Menden (village council), its powers and functions and comparative study of the three ‘khels’ in the village. Their study also includes studying the cycle of five ‘Putu’ namely the Medemsanger Putu, Mejensanger Putu, Mopungsanger Putu, Kosasanger Putu and Riongsanger Putu.
On the subject of land holding system, the anthropology students are studying the pattern of land use in the village including private land ownership, community owned land and clan land ownership. They also study the ‘pok’ or cycle of jhum cultivation system of the village and whether the land is used for commercial activities or agriculture-based activities.
The tourism group meanwhile are studying the impact of tourism and future prospects of tourism in the village. They have visited tourist spots such as Longrangtenem Park, Sungkotenem Park, Sashimeren Aire Tea Park, Morungs, Jina and Etiben memorial towers, museum and other sites of tourist interest in the village.