Sword Vashum
The ‘QUOTE’ heard of most often, has within itself both positive and negative implications ready for live application (whichever way we choose) to our daily living. Innumerable happenings in the course of our life, generation after generation add up to a sum total called History of a people. That history is an account of a people’s image in terms of character and culture and of course all the rest incidental thereto. The character and culture are inseparable in as much they are direct results of how we have evolved ourselves in and through the churnings of myriad events of varied nature. Historical evolution in the given context quite replicates the refining process of a gram of gold churned out of rigorous filtration of mountain size filths, dirt and slush, muds, stones and rocks. History unravelled, has shown beyond doubt that people who stood up for positive application of historical ‘UPS & DOWNS’ have wrested historic march over the vast many like us who remain bogged down in the quagmire of all kinds of negative Isms. History yet to unfold, many would say, is unpredictable and yet the truth is, History in the Making is already emblazoned in the on-going journey that we are daily walking.
(a) What kind of history is in the making for the Nagas?? Can it be or will it be any different from what we are all about in terms of our character and culture?? Do we dare dream big and high for the younger generations and yet steadfastly refuse to live and walk the dream?? Isn’t that the truth of the dream getting reduced to a battleground for one-upmanship?? Isn’t therefore true that the truth of the dream far from becoming the catalyst for emotional & physical unification has, in fact, been most eloquently bandied about as being the most divisive?? What therefore, took off as Nagas’ big Dream, almost a century ago far from seeing the light of the day, is in serious danger of getting snuffed out because you and I refuse to see the history beyond our nose!! History to you and me, begins with us and therefore ends with us!! Necessarily therefore, history becomes a document hewn out of preconceived ideas to get to a pre-determined objective. At this rate, we nagas would settle for history that is heavily skewed against the Truth and the Dream handed down from ages past.
(b) Given utter self-contradictions spun out of insatiable Ego-driven greed, deception and arrogance, we try topping them off with Revolutionary tag as a cover up. Revolutionary Nationalism is a movement dedicated to securing Justice, Equity, Compassion and Security for the countless compatriots languishing in Deprivations, Exploitations, Insecurity etc. It is not given for sermonising by people wallowing in ill-gotten wealth and money. This is how we Nagas in the name of Revolutionary Nationalism have ended up matching perfectly with the proverbial ‘Frog in the Pot’. In the shadowy comfort of everything within reach in his new found pot-size world, the frog got carried away by delusional excitement if only to find himself dancing away to slow painful death inside the pot. Doesn’t it depict the reality we are in today??
(c) Nationalism driven by spirit and principle of Exclusivism replicated as it were, on Hitler’s Nazism , Bolshevik Stalinism etc. to quote a few, carries within itself seeds for self-destruction. Nationalism is never a straight-jacketed formula wherein compatriots not falling in line with ‘Dos & Don’ts’ prescription of personality based dogmatism are segregated and condemned with all kinds of invectives. This to me, is singularly the undoing of our history because we have allowed History to repeat itself in dangerous and negative manifestations. To Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein etc. nationalism was nothing more than veneer of façade to hide away their unquenchable thirst for Self-Promotion/Self-Glorification – to and for the ‘Glory & Honour’ of Hitler must precede ‘Glory to Germany’. When nationalism gets so subverted/perverted, leadership gives up on Truth & Substance for symbolism which is what we are witnessing. Leadership so fixated on personal Likes & Dislikes is bound to be erratic, inconsistent, unprincipled and self-centred and therefore, devote their entire energy, time and resources to Witch-Hunting & Shadow- Chasing of inimical forces (imaginary) at the prompting of real inimical forces (within & without).
(d) Thus far, so much for what ails our History-Making; what then would ease our History-Making – a History that the posterities would be proud of?? Racial affinity of the Nagas quite unlike those of the Mizos, is subject to linguistic variations which in turn give rise to tribe specific variations. In the backdrop of such Naga-specific vulnerabilities, what is of utmost necessity is to go for ‘INCLUSIVE NATIONALISM’. Inclusivism thrives in a Culture imbued with Justice, Equity and Compassion. Nationalism driven on/by exclusivism in the Naga context would only mean inviting ourselves into the realm of Euthanasia. We have the Authority of God’s creation on our side, we have the Authority of History on our side, we have the Authority of Inviolable Principle of Natural Justice on our side; yet we buy ourselves into seeking strength, our Future and Destiny from those who seek to Destroy the very Authority of our Existence as Nagas on this planet. What can be and what must be Our History is what we owe to God our Creator and of course to Posterities. Are we ready for what is demanded of us??
Thanking you all and God bless.
