Dr Asangba Tzudir
Traditionally, Nagas are known for pulling memorial stones, log drums, and gate pillars ritually and ceremoniously inside the village from jungles. Such events formed an integral part of the ‘greatest good’ and were marked by community participation within the village with the spirit of unity and oneness towards a common good.
Recently it was re-enacted in Kutsapo village under Phek district. However, it was not a stone or a logdrum pulling event, nor was it a ritual ceremony. It was a truck that had rolled off the road. And considering the remoteness, and the road condition, it was difficult to avail the services of recovery van. From the short video clip that went viral, one can easily conclude that in order to recover the truck, it would require the services of at least two or three recovery vans besides earth excavators considering the terrain.
Thus, it was no wonder that the Village Council Chairman had to call the services of all the able-bodied men in the village. With labour cry echoing through the vicinity, the collective effort finally resulted in pulling out the truck. It was a defining moment of joy and laughter. But more so, it throws us a very important lesson that the old is not dead, and that there is a need to unlearn and relearn the lessons from the past that kept the community together and alive. It also reaffirmed that there is ‘strength in unity’ when brought together for a common good.
The ‘old’ is dying but not dead, nor is it forgotten. It is just that the old is hardly put to practice. There is a shift in the space from the old to a mistaken new in the context of the old, and though the new space has the spirit of the old, the elements of the new often prevents the ignition of the old spirit also hindered by the shift in the space.
However, the burning issues today which has crippled the state of affairs calls for a need to re-enact the old towards reviving the community values and its associated practices that aimed at the highest good of the community and not the individual good. And since the spirit has not died it somewhat depends, on one hand to a large extent, on how the design is made for the people – whether towards the good and well-being of all or designed for a ‘privileged few.’ Further, there are lessons that can be drawn from the waves of Naga migration stories which has not only weaved strands of linguistic affiliations but more so knitted families and brotherhood across clans, tribes and villages. These are commonness that informs that Nagas have not travelled far from the past because that past has always travelled with whatever the new and rightly so, the old spirit has not died.
These are inputs from that past that tells us to go beyond the artificial barriers created by the various ‘isms’ rooted in clans, tribes, community, villages etc., and to rejuvenate the ‘natural sweetness’ of the old which was largely designed for the good of the community at large.
Today, even as the recent events are worth reflecting upon for inspirations, the ‘common good’ needs to be collectively pursued to sail through the various tides of pressing issues. To this end, besides other things, to a collectivity, it is also pertinent that the blueprint of the states design is directed towards the overall good of everyone.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial to the Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
