Social Work Practices

Abstract

The usage of the word social work and social worker are inconsistent among the Sümi newlinetribe of Nagaland because Social work or Aqho- Aho Kumla is all about individuals, newlinegroups, who render voluntary service as a gesture of solidarity whenever there is a need newlinein the community. On the other hand, social worker or Aqo- aho sakiphemi are those newlineindividuals who work voluntarily for the welfare of the community. newlinen tri al societies social pro lems ere sol ed ithin the context o a traditional system newlinehich had al ays een an integral part o social li e o tri es including the S mi tri e. It newlineis evident that the traditional knowledge of social work practice exists and is deri ed newlinerom S mi people s ay o coming to no . This traditional system was a social newlineinstitution, characterised by strong family ties, chieftainship, clan, and other traditional newlineinstitutions, assured the security of its members. Thus, the researcher felt it imperative to newlineknow what the Sumi community did a hundred years ago (and even today), when there newlinewere (are) no trained social work professionals. What is social work to them? Who is a newlinesocial worker? How and what kind of knowledge s ills and isdom did the community newlineposses to sol e their asic pro lems onsidering these uestions the researcher elt the newlineneed to explore the historical and the socio-cultural aspect and no ledge o social or newlinepractice rom the S mi tri e perspective. newlineThough not always recognised, ethnography and social work advocates a surprisingly newlinesimilar goal: to understand the human experience as it is lived, felt, and known by its newlineparticipants (Goldstein, 1994). The researcher felt that in some important respects, this newlinework is similar to that of the ethnographer who seeks to understand the culture of another newlinesociety and critically examines the frames of reference internalized from his or her own newlineculture (Scott, 1989). The ethnographic approach helped cast light on Sümi tribe social newlinework practice y understanding the participant s distinctive frame of reference and newlinehelped in providing information about settings and situations essential for this study. he newlinestudy as carried out in the predominant area o the S mi tri e, that is, Zunheboto newlinedistrict of Nagaland. The researcher selected two urban pockets of Zunheboto town - newlineNew colony and Amiphoto colony - and two villages, namely, Ghuvishe village and newlineAsukhomi village. newlinexv newlineThe study found that Social work as profession among the Sümi tribe is still at a budding newlinestage and has not been recognized by the people. Nevertheless, there is a gradual newlinedevelopment and changes in functioning of social work agencies and the workers due to newlineexternal forces such as Protestant and Catholic Christian missionaries, government newlineagencies such as Social welfare Department, District Rural Development agencies, and newlineNon Governmental organizations. hough it is too early to claim S mi tri e model o newlinesocial work, Social workers must understand contemporary roles of indigenous people s newlinefamilies, and communities. The researcher believes that findings from this study will help newlinesocial workers, academicians and other community practitioners to measure and target newlinetheir interventions more effectively, and develop strategies to enhance organizational newlinecapacity while working with Sümi people.