Dihe Mao
Assistant Professor, St. Joseph’s College
The Nagas are undoubtedly one of the finest races inhabiting the Northeastern part of India. Some anthropologists and eminent writers have noted that by birth and by nature the Nagas are characterized by their sociability, hospitality, honesty, reciprocity, hard working, truthfulness and self-reliance. In short, the Nagas are primitively simple people; lived along with highly regarded human values (healthy mind), healthy body, self reliant (though traditional economy was backward) and strong religious beliefs and practices.
The contemporary Nagas can attain a higher level of living, a total quality life, with all technologies and the welfare services available around us today, which our forefathers did not enjoy at all. The total quality life, I mean the complete fitness of Mind, Body, Resources and Spirit (faith) which can be within our reach, though it may not happen accidentally. To Stan Toler, ‘total quality life is a level of living where every area of life – Mind, Body, Resources and Spirit – is in perfect harmony, and we are functioning with excellence and effectiveness’.
In this article, in order to save the space provided, I will elaborate only on the importance of the Mind from among the four critical life spheres – mind, body, resources and spirit.
The mind is so important because from it thoughts are generated. We must develop a healthy mind so as to facilitate the generation of healthy thoughts. Because thoughts become attitudes, attitudes become actions, and actions become habits. Therefore, the key to controlling our life is to control our thoughts. But, unfortunately, many of us regularly assault our minds with jumble of useless, even harmful, information that clouds and distorts our thinking. We need to make healthy choices out of the thousands of information we receive every day. The quality of our intellectual intake has a direct impact on the quality of our mental and emotional health. We need to learn to think the right thoughts. Our minds must be cleansed of thoughts and information that hinder us from living a peaceful and civilized life.
Our minds must be cleansed through healthy activities and practices. We must take a look at where we are and where we want to go. A healthy mind can direct our thoughts towards moving up to a new level of living. Our forefathers’ lives, though primitive, were controlled by healthy mind and thoughts which we need to learn from them. For this reason, we need to go back to the root, that is, to uphold and practice the highly regarded values of Naga forefathers. They have lived a good life and have handed down to us several good traditions and human values. Some human values which are outstanding and highly regarded in Naga society are highlighted below in a little more detail:
1. Community orientation.
The Naga society is community oriented. This strong community feeling had enabled different tribes to survive for long. In the past, there seemed to be but little room for any individualistic tendencies. Almost everything was done in groups. Thus, even the arduous task of cultivation was lightened and made immensely enjoyable by groups of friends or families getting together, transplanting and harvesting one field at a time by rotation. In such a society of strong community feelings, one had to be part and parcel of the village and one is expected to be faithful to all the community activities. The principle of oneness and unity strongly prevailed those days. Thus, the good old days were largely characterized by the traditional principles of co-operation and group activity rather than by individual activity.
However, it does not mean that it was opposed to the individual’s own creativity. It is not only the individual that gives his time and energy for the welfare of the community but also the individual is amply rewarded in return in every way, especially in time of difficulty and misfortune. It is the community who would immediately come to his assistance.
2. Sense of Equality.
Naga society is basically a classless society where a man/woman is respected for what he/she is and does, and not because one happens to belong to a particular tribe or clan. The status of women is equal to that of men. A woman is not a slave or a drudge but she is a companion. She is never made to feel that she belongs to the weaker sex. In the old good days of the Naga traditional society, everyone was equal; no high class or low class, no difference in religion, men and women enjoyed equal status or dignity, and no minority or majority problem existed. They paid no land revenue, no property tax and no income tax. Cases of theft, if any, were rare. Such was the society where the Nagas lived till they came into contact with the so-called civilized world.
3. Sense of Brotherhood.
The sense of brotherhood is very strong among the Nagas. The feeling of brotherhood is expressed especially at times of disaster or tragedy when the fellow villagers give a helping hand. Intra-village brotherhood or fellow feeling is strengthened in a variety other ways. For example, a man who has finished transplantation or harvesting would help his neighbors, and if anybody had a good harvest, they were expected to give a feast to their friends or even the villagers. Even though the people were aware that a person is having a contagious disease, they could not think of isolating the sick members of the community.
4. Hospitality.
Another striking characteristic of the Nagas is their hospitality and the cheerfulness. To greet with a smiling face while travelling on the road is a common experience. It is a fact that a visitor to the Naga village is heartily received and entertained.
5. Respect for Elders.
Respect for elders and parents were held to be sacred duty in the Naga society. As M. Horam says, “Age among the Nagas has both Prestige and power because it is the older people who know and pass on to the younger generations the ways of society to which they are expected to confirm”. The elders are special group of people in the tradition-oriented society and are obeyed and respected. Generally, the presence of the elders in any community is considered as a consolation and a blessing on all occasions. However, the orders of the elders are obeyed only in so far as they are in accordance with the wishes of the community.
6. Democratic and Independent Loving.
A remarkable feature of the Naga life is the fundamentally democratic basis of their socio-political organization. Hence, the keynote of the Naga character in general is independence. The Nagas do not have a sophisticated form of government but a simple democratic way of life. Their politics is democracy in action. Everyone is a partner and has a say in the affairs of the society. Decisions are usually arrived at through consensus. Though independent loving, a Naga will not misuse his freedom.
What I want to convey from this writing is that, unfortunately, in our society today there is so much clutter going through our minds that our thinking is cloudy and distorted. We are in no way well of and satisfied in all spheres. The above list of values, though not exhaustive, can provide good diets for our minds to remain healthy so as to generate healthy thoughts for a better living. We need to go back to our root. We need change, we need redesigning of our system and style. We need to and can move to a new level of living. We need to harmonize our mind, body, resources and spirit. But, this life of balance and control will not come automatically. It won’t be easily achieved. It will require a significant investment of time and energy, and it will require sacrifice. Yet the achievement will be worth the effort.
