Thepfulhouvi Solo
There has been considerable ‘halagoola’ in the Nagaland Papers recently, perhaps on an innocent suggestion by a Legislator in the Punjab Assembly for the solution of their stray Dog Problem. The Legislator proposed the trapping of the Dogs and exporting it to Dog Meat eating Areas which includes Nagaland, Mizoram and China. The Legislator forgot to include Korea where the habit like the Nagas exists. The consumption of Dog Meat in the Nagas might have originated from the Angamis: Some other Naga Tribes, in earlier days, used to refer the Angamis as ‘dog meat eaters’ when they want to secretly confer among themselves privately about the Tribe. Today there are quite a few other Naga Tribes who have adopted the Angami disease!
It is common among the Angamis to reserve Dog meat preparations for their closest Guests or friends. Wrestlers in training to represent their Thino (Khel), Village or Tribe are especially treated to dog meat preparations. Soup of Puppy steamed without water is said to be a sure remedy for those suffering from incurable chronic tropical malaria in the Villages. In the Christian Retreats or Youth camps too, dog meat preparations in the Menu seems to add interest in the gospellings. The other Naga Tribes also are now so taken to dog meat that the meat has become one of the costliest of all the Proteins in Kohima Bazaar where it is sold by sized portions rather than by weight at 200/- or more per portion.
A Member of the Union Public Service Commission while Interviewing candidates for the Indian Forest Service, perhaps to see the reaction, seriously said:
“You Nagas eat dog and that is why their teeth are bad”.
He was answered:
“Sir, We eat anything that is not Poisonous”.
And if he was not satisfied with my answer, I was mentally prepared to further say:
“And Beef is one of our favorite foods”.
But All the Members laughed very loudly in good humor and offered me not only their Tea but also conferred upon me the jungle title of IFS I was coveting!
It is unfortunate Dog meat eating is dragged into derogatory Terms. Nagas and various other peoples in the World eat Elephant meat; but no one connote or understand Elephant Meat eating in derogatory Terms as god-eating people: Elephant is a Representation of god Ganesha to the Hindus in India.
Throughout the wide World, Beef is taken as a prized food but nobody terms the Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists and Christians or all those who eat Beef as god-eating people in derogatory terms though Cow is a god among Hindus in India.
Let us also not be too sensitive to people’s innocent remarks or statement or reports in the News Media. A touch of Reality and a capacity to laugh at ourselves sometimes may preserve the great sense of Humanity in us better. Not all Angamis eat dog but many likes dog meat preparations: Angamis, like others also eat Pythons, Snakes, Bees, Spiders, selected amphibians, worms, caterpillars and leaves of plants in the wild. It is not only the beautiful Panda alone, but most Asians also eat Bamboo and every body in the World is fond of tuber Potato dug out from the earth!
To increase the protein intake in the poor malnourished countries, the UN recommends eating of Grasshoppers, Termites and Ants and worms which have very high percentage of Proteins. One of Europe’s best Italian Cheese is said to be one with maggots inside. The finest and costliest Scots Whisky is made from running dark brown river water looking dirty; some civilized Mothers in the West are even said to consume dry powdered Placenta of their babies: They should be straightway charged with Cannibalism if I were a Chief Justice!
However, Let us not be too sensitive of the food habits of other people and what God has made clean let no man defile it. It is desirable policy not to legislate Law to regulate non-injurious food habits the People, Nagas or Koreans; this desirable policy includes the consumption of Akhuni or fermented fish or even Alcohol in a limited sense barring Drunkeness. Nagas and Koreans eat dog meat, So what?
