CHRISTIANITY IN KHASI CULTURE: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND TRADITIONAL KHASI CULTURE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE SENG KHASI MOVEMENT FROM 1899 TO 1983 (INDIA

Among the hill peoples of North East India, the Khasis are unique for several reasons. First, they were the first to hear the Gospel. Although the Welsh Presbyterians started their work in the Khasi Jaintia Hills in 1841, there is considerable evidence showing that the Khasis heard the Gospel much earlier through missionaries of the Serampore Baptist Mission. Krishna Pal, the first convert of William Carey, became the first missionary to the Khasis and to North East India as a whole. However, unlike the Mizos and the Nagas who heard the Gospel much later and are now largely Christian, the Khasis are only 55 percent Christian. Second, unlike other tribal areas in North East India, there is in the Khasi Jaintia Hills a strong non-Christian intelligentsia which largely opposes the spread of Christianity. The Seng Khasi movement founded in 1899 seeks to provide leadership for the renaissance of Khasi religion and culture. In the judgment of the Seng Khasi, British administration and Christianity are forces that threaten to destroy Khasi culture and identity.;Khasi Christians as individuals and families continue to retain the basic foundations of their traditional culture. But some have argued that the impact of Christianity and western civilization through a written script, education and literature have alienated Khasi Christians from their past though the impact of these changes has not limited to the Khasi Community alone. Both Christians and non-Christians equally share the benefits such as these that Christianity has brought to the land. But we must admit that the Khasi Church as an institution is still far from being a truly indigenous church. It must critically examine its relationship to the rich cultural heritage of the Khasis and use appropriate cultural forms to express its faith, worship and life-style. Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Khasi Church can contribute to the development, transformation and enrichment of the Khasi culture without destroying the uniqueness of this culture.