Work Ethic of a Traditional Society: A Contemporary Reflective Study of the Ao Nagas

Abstract

An unquestionable fact of man’s existence is the propensity for social relations. As the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle had said long ago that man is a social animal and he who is not a part of society must be either a god or a beast. Isolated life is not just alien to man but it is a fact that man always finds himself born into a society. Every society possesses its own culture, which determines the nature of the society and the lives of its members. Culture is broadly understood as the embodiment of the different aspects of life such as institutions, customs, traditions, beliefs, language, rituals, arts, etc.1 It certainly includes the value aspect of life. E.B. Taylor had conceived of culture as standing for the beliefs, morals, customs, laws, and other capabilities and skills acquired by man as a member of society....