Nagas are always proud and talk highly of their history and identity. If you are really proud of your history, give credit to your forefathers. If you are really proud of your identity, do you understand what that identity is? For example, when you are dressed in western culture with suit, necktie etc. can anybody identify you from your outlook as a Naga, a Sema, a Lotha, an Ao or an Angami? But when you speak Ao, Lotha or Sema language, only then people will come to know your identity that you are a Sema, a Lotha or an Ao etc. Therefore, LANGUAGE is one of the most important identities of a people.
Language is the equation true for all values of the symbol involved. I interact with every aspect of human life in society. Linguistics, the science of language, is a highly technical subject; the major divisions of it are phonetics, grammar and semantics dealing in detail with various aspects of language. Therefore, from the linguistic point of view, it is too pre-mature for Nagamese to reach that stage to be recognized as a language. Because it has no literature, and even as a lingua franca, it has no standard form of spellings and pronunciations. Without literature, grammar, semantics etc. can there be any way to give recognition to a Pidgin-language under the schedule VIII of the Constitution of India? Schedule VIII deals more with the academic aspects of languages. Towards this end, Nagamese is yet to make a start. Therefore such imposition will be grossly understood by the young generation. It will be wise for all of us not to bring up highly controversial issue of this nature at this particular period of time when Nagas are expecting something good to come out of the ‘Framework Agreement’. Why not Prime Minister’s Office first think to promote Hindi, the National Language. Young people in Nagaland are now learning refined Hindi.
Language can neither be imposed nor encouraged from outside the society. It has either to grow or go extinct as per the behavior of the society. We do not believe that this idea to promote Nagamese was initiated by the Prime Minister’s office as reported by the press. But if this idea was initiated by some sections of the Naga people, let it be known to them that this is an attempt to deprive the Nagas of their identity. To be more precise, this is an attempt to uproot the very culture of the Nagas. This proposal is, therefore, diametrically opposite and a harsh contrast to what we have been trying to preserve our cultural heritage through various platforms and which is patriotism in its true sense.
India is said to be the largest democracy in the world. Its greatness depends on unity in diversities. Nagaland is contributing a lot to the nation in matter of cultural heritage. Why anybody is trying to do away with it? Lastly, I appreciate and congratulate V. Pushika Awomi, former President, NSF for his article published on 10th Jan. 2016 (NP).
Kereivilie Kire Research Scholar
