Ezamo Murry,
5th Mile Dimapur
When it comes to our tribal culture neither the Central Government nor Christianity can bring changes to this so-called traditional authority, as Max Weber calls it. To the former we say we have certain 371A and to the latter we say ‘from time immemorial such things have never happened in our tribal culture’ (for instance women leadership in the church and society). Even Jesus has not been able to make much headway into this ’tribal culture’ till date. In a tribal village no one would volunteer to pose as a village head or a priest. This is due to the fear of the just God who would exact fitting retribution to the erring head. When the community perceived qualities in a person and persuaded him to be a judge, a priest, or other responsible administrator of the village he would be shaken inwardly by the thought that he might misrule, misjudge the people and thus incur God’s retribution. Such retribution was believed to hit not only upon him but to the posterity. If the community forced him to be such a leader against his will he would even commit suicide. Taking such extreme measure was due also to the belief that refusing to comply with the consensus proposal of the community (especially to the village priest) would call for a divine displeasure on him.
What a change of practice? Is it due to the civilization which brings also discontent? For, these tribal aspirants for leadership have to persuade their villagers to make them their leaders (the other way round now). If the people would not yield to the verbal promises of the would be benefactors the latter would use all means including money to buy the subjects. What can the subjects expect from a leader who has bought the position himself or herself? A commodity once bought, the purchaser has the right to use that possession as his/her own property, not for others. Power and authority becomes commodity in such a time. The seller has nothing to claim on the things that he/she sold already. Tribal ethics taught that taking back what we already gave away or sold out will incur divine judgment – more frequently suffer from rheumatism or gout (in Kyong belief). How can we, unreasonably, make such leaders to whom we sold our votes meet both ends – sell our vote at the same time demand that they visit our roads and bridges, hospitals, schools, public places? We may say such argument will add fuel to the inaction of the leaders today, forgetting that it is we who made them penniless. When we say ‘shame on the public leaders’ pointing at them, the traditional three fingers are pointing toward us without our awareness. Both the public and the leaders are within the vicious circle! Let us, therefore, stop buying positions and also stop selling our sacred right to choose good leaders. This commodity flows first from the public to the rulers. Let the public use it for the promotion of love, mercy, justice and equality as it is meant to be so. The preliterate villagers feared to become leaders because they might commit simony, misuse positions given to them to advance the welfare of the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the needy. In fact there were many tribal leaders who, once they are trusted to be leaders who feared the Power beyond and did very well in ruling the village. The are gone but their posterity is not forgotten by the Righteous Judge. Those were the days before they heard about Jesus the Omnipresent, the merciful, the just, the judge, the truth and the love. Jesus is “a man for the others” who gave his life for those who hated him and opposed him. No leader on earth has had such a leadership style as Jesus had. He also said there will be a time when such righteous rulers will rule with Him.
