‘Safeguarding identity through peace’

Western Sumi Youth Front celebrates 14th Foundation Day 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 14

The Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) held its 14th Foundation Day at Nihoto village with Agriculture Production Commissioner, Y Kikheto Sema, IAS as the special guest with the theme, ‘Safeguarding our identity through peace’ on April 14. 

Addressing the gathering, Kikheto expressed belief that the Nagas’ migration to present Nagaland could not be more than 800 years. “We do not know whether we called ourselves as Nagas or as Sumis, Lothas, Angamis etc when we came to Nagaland but I believe we Nagas are all cousins or related in some ways,” he said.

Being placed in the centre of Nagaland, Kikheto said, the Sumis have maximum blood relations and sharing of boundary with almost all Naga tribes except Konyaks and Khiamniungans. Inter-tribal marriage is also maximum among the Sumis, he added. Kikheto cited an instance of his own native village from where the number of marriages with Ao is 25, Angami 22, Lotha 20, Zeliang 11 etc.

“We are all somehow and somewhere connected with other tribes through marriage and why do we still speak ill of other tribes,” he wondered. “What we do wrong today is that; an individual problem is being brought to family, family problem is taken to village level, village to tribe and so on which is destroying us,” he pointed out.

Kikheto said the Naga people initially resisted British policies but their presence turned out to be blessings in disguise as head hunting was stopped and British system of administration was introduced. He said the Britishers saw the peculiar qualities of each Naga tribe and described Sumis as braveheart and adventurous. He reminded the younger generation that during the 1890s, a good number of Sumis were a part of the Political Labour Corp to Upper Assam, Sumis also participated during the Abor war in 1911-12, Sumis also participated in the Stilwell road construction towards Burma in 1935. In the First World War, out of 2000 Nagas Labour Corps, 1000 were Sumis with Kuhoi Zhimomi as the Chief Commander of the Corps.

Impressed by the contribution of the Sumis, Kikheto said, the Britishers asked the Sumis as to what they wanted; to which they responded their desire to inhabit the area in Upper Assam. “That is how nine Sumi villages were established in Upper Assam but now there are only six villages,” he added.

He pointed out that the Sumis came to inhabit western area patronized by British and established their first village, Kiyezu in 1911 and accordingly 100 years of Sumi migration was celebrated on February 13, 2011 at Niuland with Chief Minister, Rio as the chief guest. 

Referring to records available with the Western Sumi Baptist Akukuhou Kuqhakulu, Kikheto said that initially when the Sumi and Chakhro people had established only several villages, they used to hold annual church conferences along with Kukis and Zeliangs in different villages of the various tribes.

He said one such conference was held in 1931 at Kukidolong Baptist Church, in 1937 Hovishe (Hanami) Baptist Church, in 1940 at Kuhoxu (Muhumi) Baptist Church, in 1941 at Kiyezu, in 1944 at Kiyevi, in 1946 at Khehoyi and 1947 at Zhuikhu. Kikheto said such was the camaraderie shared by early settlers in western area where the Naga leaders stood for truth and led the society.

He urged the younger generation to remember how their elders sacrificed to protect their present land and toiled to bring them up to be better human beings. He encouraged the WSYF to take the lead in defeating evils in the society by responding with peaceful overtures. Kikheto also emphasized on work and eat culture instead of always depending on illegal immigrants. He said the state government was emphasizing on the Naga Model Integrated Settled Farming and encouraged the people to learn whenever the authorities come to teach them the techniques of settled farming.

Stating that the positive inter-tribal relations have now been placed at a bitter position, Kikheto called upon the leaders to propagate peace and stop all kinds of violence and killings. He also cautioned against the evils spread through social media which most of the time adds to tension in the society.

Stating that the Naga society had seen enough of darkness, Kikheto was optimistic that the people would be able to see the dawn of light and march forward with peace.

The foundation day programme was attended by a host of leaders from the fields of religion, social, Naga national organization politics and many other fields.