Emilo Khuvung
Kohima | April 3
The Chief Minister of Nagaland today expressed disagreement with certain organizations and communities who claim about being either ‘advanced’ or “backward.” Neiphiu Rio reminded that an area may be ‘backward’ but peoples are not.
Rio was addressing the festival of the Konyak, Aoleang, and festival of the Phom, Monyü, celebrated today with much pomp and gaiety at The Heritage in Kohima under the aegis of Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Union of Kohima (ENPUK). Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was the chief guest.
The Chief Minister disagreed with an eastern Naga organization’s assertion that the ‘people from the eastern side are backward.’ The people of the eastern areas are not backward, Rio reminded. It is the area that is backward, he said, which is because education and infrastructure development came in late or was delayed. ‘Some are fortunate while some are less fortunate, “otherwise we cannot term as backward and forward tribe,” the Chief Minister reminded strongly.
The Chief Minister said that the Naga community has no class system and has urged the gathering not to divide Naga society on claims of being “forward” or “backward.”
“We are all Naga, one family, and no class in our society but just that some are less or more fortunate.” He called upon to put ‘our’ strength together to help the backward areas, the corners and far-flung regions to bring them forward and give them more opportunities. Rio said that the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization has good leaders as also the youths who have talents.
However, the CM said, these qualities need to be cultivated to avail opportunities to move forward. “No one from outside the world can come and inject the ‘forward’ into your blood,” Rio reminded. He urged the gathering to take up challenges and responsibility, and labor.
On the topic of culture and festivals, the chief minister said celebrating festivals is not about conducting rites or rituals – which are not ‘godly’ – neither is it to emphasize on alcoholism. “We want to keep the old traditions alive, synchronize with the living Christian values, to combine how to promote, and is a remembrance of forefathers who has brought our identity till today,” he said.
The chief minister said that the Nagas’ forefathers were not Christians but their faith and belief teach about the value of work. “Work is worship and therefore, you have to work and eat,” he said.
On a cautionary note, Rio added: ‘Celebrating festivals by collecting money does not serve the purpose as festival speaks about ‘work and eat, and there is no remedy and no alternative to hard work; you work, you’ll be successful.”
Guest of honor, president of the Angami Public Organization (APO) K Neingunyü Sekhose said in his brief address that the joint celebration is unique and an eye-opener to explain the essence of unity through celebration of each other’s festivals.
The Aoleang-Monyü celebrations were followed by a cultural show where the chief minister and his colleagues joined in the dances.
