Phuveyi Dozo
Naga United Village, Dimapur
It is obvious that beyond the philosophy of Hornbill festival is preservation and promotion of the beauty of a given human culture. In process, it ripples and is becoming a tip of a national and international attraction. But the big issue is ‘What future can hornbill festival contribute and offer to the upcoming Naga youth in a modern generation and scientific age’?
A Bird Festival or Morality?
Nagas must choose either a primitive festival in a modern generation or morality as the believers of the Redeemer of the world. A festival that earns and attracts tourists at the expense of morality can be a great risk to Nagas and the posterity with a sinking ground and declining future like Sodom and Gomorrah.
The Other Side of Festival
Without making a reference to published critics, observations and opinions expressed in local news papers, silent side of the festival is more than the advertized aspects of the festival. Taking for granted that the festival is an ideology of a common platform to harmonize Naga culture, the other side includes scene of unanalyzed unbiblical and unChristian behaviors as openly witnessed by one and all.
Paganization
The act of hornbill festival is like worshiping a dead bird. Over 50 years ago it was prophesied that the Nagas would worship a dead bird. While adoring the bird, cruelty to other animals is like a valley of old sacrifice. The hidden scene is shameless immoral festival which is a sacrilege to a sacred land created by God. Perhaps the heathenism part is the uninvited aspect of the festival which is a blow and defeat to the purpose of the Festival. As a Christian land, the final analysis of the festival is a misrepresentation and a destructive doctrine to the world. Can we give something more meaningful to the world?
Theology of Syncretism
Every hornbill festival begins with an incantation pronounced by a priest-like figure. But the content of the incantation is theologically empty and unclear while the Christians are waiting for a clear voice to the living God, the Creator of Nagas and universe. The leaders of Haiti dedicated their nation, land and government to deities of evil spirits (voodoo). The risk was a major earthquake in 2010 with a loss of millions, a thorn to the globe. No one knows what is ahead of Nagaland as the land deviates from the truth to untruth. Perhaps our land survives because of the few faithful.
The incantational prayer is, therefore, challenged by the believers of the Creator of the universe, the Almighty. Such a practice is meaningless, unbiblical and syncretistic which does not reach God. The Gospel came to the Nagas 146 years ago. And hence, the concept of mountain gods, natural spirits, and boulder inhabiting spirits are no more in exercise since they are the lower form in theology. Are we comfortable with reversing gear?
A Reversal Journey
The land is a land of Bible believers with 99% Christians with Christians in leadership. Is Nagaland setting any good example before other states? Or what impression the Nagas are impacting on Non-Nagas with living among us? The nature of celebration of Hornbill festival is a process of de-Christianization with systematic introduction of old ritualism along with Babylonian intoxicative chemistry. In process, the celebration destroys and harms the vitality of aspiring generation. Can the modern generation continue to accept such reversal scheme?
Side affect of Education
The whole body suffers when a finger suffers. Can a father or mother tell his or her son or daughter “I am going to Hornbill festival. It is your duty to study hard and pass in high division”? Education is directly or indirectly affected by prolonged Hornbill festival during exam time. It is a total package that affects acceleration of education. Our modern youth generation must rethink of global value. If education is the future of our land, we must prioritize it.
What lasting and structural values can Hornbill festival offer to the youth in the state and the world in general? It is high time for the forward thinkers, aspiring and prospective youth, and intellectuals to walk away from such reversing, wasteful, and suffocative superstition to a positive and brighter future.
Alternative Proposals
A few relevant suggestions are hereby furnished for our leaders to consider:
Naga Observatory
An observatory that would bring the bright objects above our head to a closer range is a timely consideration towards tourism interest and scientific proliferation. Our leaders may kindly contemplate this possibility.
Forward Generation
It is high time to overcome decoration of a dead bird to improvement of quality of education. Our teeming students and children must be adorned with practical oriented education in schools. Inclusion of cooking class, sanitary awareness, gardening and self-reliant schemes, and basic science in education package will thrive and calibrate quality education.
Smoother Movement
Needless to talk bout the deplorable condition of our roads and bridges. The need is exposed to all including heart patients, pregnant mothers, health emergencies, and tourists. Decades of dust and potholes with splashing must be over in a modern age. The need is to put our house in order to meet public need before an exorbitant decoration of a dead bird.
International Visa facility
Most of the international travelers in Northeast India are from Nagaland. It is expensive, inconvenient and disappointing to travel to Kolkata and Delhi foreign embassies for visa application and obtaining. It would be a worthwhile effort if our leaders can take this up with the DoNER and make this facility of international community accessible to us.
Naga Cultural Research Institute
Thriving of a culture requires a comprehensive academic research work which must probe into origin of the Nagas (a controversial theory), formation of indigenous cultural shape, relationship with nature and pre-Christian religion, societal growth, pre-popular science, a scenario of pre-British and post British period, entry of Christianity, relationship with surrounding nations, Indo-Naga issue, a transitional metamorphosis, and international relationship, keeping such view of a study in Nagaland and national universities, and international affiliation.
In view of importance of such cultural development, it is proposed that Nagaland set up a Naga Cultural Research Institute (NCRI) logistically with Kohima Kisama Naga Heritage becoming the research side.
God bless Nagaland!
