Ao ( Naga ) Tribal People’s Practice of Aksü as Friendship: Relevance for Peace and Interreligious Friendship

precis: Friendship is an essential element in our lives and for community well-being. In a context of religious pluralism, the assertion for truth claims, exclusivism, fundamentalism, and one’s engagement with people of other faiths affect how we understand and perceive people of other religious traditions. We need to recognize differences in multicultural and pluralistic situations. Religious traditions have contributed to interreligious friendship and peace-building from their traditions. Ao tribal people’s understanding of friendship through practicing aksü can promote interreligious friendship through reconciliation, good will, forgiveness, truth, peace, and well-being of all in the community. It is a moral principle and virtue that connects two parties to a path of friendship. Community and mutual flourishing are the markers in Ao peoples that construct friendship. Aksü transcends barriers by love, care, support, compassion, mutuality, respect, acceptance, hospitality, and solidarity, which are essential dialogical models for encountering religious pluralism and establishing interreligious friendship.