Gender Performativity: An Examination of Femininity and Masculinity of the Naga Society

This paper is an attempt to discuss the ideas of feminine and masculine among the Naga societies of Northeast India. It highlights the importance of different socio-cultural norms, activities and expectations of performing certain gender roles which in turn shaped their identities in the society. The various customs or ways in which the different traditional patriarchal societies of the Nagas sought to govern the society became a process of gendering the sexed bodies. According to Judith Butler, gender is manufactured through a sustained set of acts where repeated performance of certain acts and behaviors contributed to the construction and maintenance of gender identities. Different traditional norms and customs of the Nagas has been historically enforced and practised which is reflected in all social, cultural, economic, religious and political sphere. An analysis on how these various processes impacted the gender roles and performativity is done with some selected communities of the Nagas like Mao, Angami, Ao, Tangkhul, Zeliangrong, Konyak to name a few. It also explores how performativity, masculinity and femininity shape individual identities and societal structures in the Patriarchal society of the mentioned Naga societies.