
This modern era has witnessed humanity evolving a culture that does not enhance life nor is necessarily life giving. In almost every part of the world, fear driven by greed and insecurity has led to astronomic consumerism, domination and violence. What remains is a culture of lies and death propelling profit and destruction of the planet, life on earth as we know it is disappearing. A culture is evolving that does not have humans and all life at its center, and, as Ali Mazrui would say, the ancestors are angry.
The indigenous people share a common global experience where ever they are. Indigenous traditions and culture are resilient even though it may not be found in books, films, art or literature. Their belief systems and religions are lived. They have cultures that enhance the capacity to confront their realities by critically determining and modernizing traditions. They seek to promote life on its own conditions and understanding. The process of recovery will begin when indigenous people transcend the definitions of culture that suffocate their capacity to live as their ancestors did.
The question is whether indigenous traditions can modernize not homogenize. This is the challenge for the Naga people. Echoing the words of Luigi Guissani, we understand that traditions are not handed over to us so that we become fossilized within them. Like our ancestors, we are part of the evolving traditions, “even to the point of profoundly changing it.” In order to adapt tradition we must “act with” what our ancestors give us. This means using tradition critically, filtering it through our own praxis. However, “using tradition critically does not mean doubting its value – even if this is what is suggested by the current mentality.” Deconstructing the history that sought to portray us as non-humans is part of this praxis. At the same time we can trust our true history, experience and capacity to adapt and transform. We are obliged to examine our history, culture and morality to excavate the values upon which our identity, inspiration, and liberation can be anchored.
Indigenous people can forge critical solidarity and initiate a grassroots movement that calls for a holistic application of culture, which is an exercise in freedom. For culture to be a praxis of freedom, its dynamic process is necessary to interpret all facets of human life which can be exercised only when a peoples have the capacity to decide their own destiny. This praxis requires inculcating a critical consciousness where self-realization empowers us to re-examine our value systems, culture, worldviews and future. Simultaneously, a spirit of independence and self awareness with the potential to manifest in diverse ways will emerge.
This consciousness can empower us to fully grasp the notion of who we are and the readiness to assume the responsibilities related to it. The critical consciousness through a process of dialogue can connect the present to the past in order to live a shared future. Attempts by the dominant powers to deliberately arrest the image of our culture as uncivilized tribals have to be rejected. By defining culture in dynamic terms, the myths and the tendency to think of our culture as static will be dispelled. Our consciousness – being alive in the present moment - enables us to demonstrate a historical and political evolution of the modern indigenous person through our cultural uniqueness. Ultimately, this consciousness can free the people from dependency on the dominant culture.