Naga dialogue: trilateral
You can send additional information, corrections and photographs on on their online archival encyclopædia only after its formal launch in late 2014 |
Naga dialogue: trilateral
Trilateral Naga dialogue : Towards reconciliation ? Time to learn from experience
By : P Sharat Chandra Singh, February 06, 2014.
The Naga (political) blockades along the National Highway 39 often punch the Manipuris on the stomach, sending them reeling and simmering for days, weeks and months. Mr. Thuingaleng Muivah had once (2010) planned to visit his native village and some other places. But Manipur was suspicious of his motives and stopped him at Mao gate, of course, at the cost of two precious lives. (May the departed souls rest in peace). Muivah was camping at Viswema (Nagaland) and yet insistent that the Government of India should prevail upon the Government of Manipur to concede his demand – quite a harrowing time for all concerned. Good sense prevailed; the central emissaries - Pillai and Pandey duo - came to Manipur and Nagaland, assessed the situation, and, sensing danger, they cajoled Muivah into agreeing to postpone his journey.
Muivah’s sojourn (May-June, 2010) and its ripple effect was like history repeating itself. Manipur was in flames (June 18, 2001) in the face of Naga cease fire extension without territorial limits. On both the occasions, the Centre had taken decisions without consulting Manipur, thereby offending the sensibilities of its people and stirring up a real hornets’ nest. And, Manipur’s protests against the decisions were so compelling that the Centre felt constrained to retract its commitments to the NSCN (IM). The moral lesson is that any unilateral peace policy would simply backfire. Given the federal structure of the Indian Union vis-à-vis the territorial aspirations of the NSCN (IM), it would have been more prudent to get all the stakeholder States – Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh –involved in the peace process. Conversely, the Centre might consider an option for the concerned States to hold a referendum on the issue of territorial reorganization. In a televised interview (June, 2010) Mr. Handique, the Union Minister in charge of the North East, had commented in a similar vein.
In the aftermath of the public upsurge in Manipur (June 18, 2001) against the unilateral extension of “Naga Cease Fire” without territorial limits, a high level political delegation urged the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of India to give credence to the voice of the people of Manipur. In the same spirit the Manipuris observe the Great June Uprising/Unity Day every year on 18 June, 2010, to express solidarity with all the communities who stood against the threats to peace and integrity of Manipur. It is, indeed, hard to fathom the great sense of restraint displayed by the people of Manipur despite all the provocations and pains.
Anyway, Muivah had to muffle the alarm and abort the journey as both the Government and the people of Manipur remained bitterly opposed to it. However, the ignominious end of the journey notwithstanding, it was (for him) a mission accomplished to the extent of rekindling the pro – Nagalim feelings and, at the same time, antagonizing the majority of the Manipuris who were opposed to any idea of disintegrating the State of Manipur. The blockade days are gone along with Mr. Muivah. But there is no end to Manipur’s tale of woes. The Centre as well as the State still owe the Manipuris a lot of explanations. All the stakeholders need to unravel the Naga tangle with a sense of decency, and yet keeping in mind the fact that (political) aspirations threatening Manipur’s territorial integrity and socio-cultural fabric will ever remain the Achilles heel. An inclusive Senapati Dialogue as slated to open on 6 February, 2014 should herald a new era of reconciliation.
(The writer is former Principal Secretary of Government of Manipur, e-mail: schandra.pukhrem@gmail.com)
You can send additional information, corrections and photographs on on their online archival encyclopædia only after its formal launch in late 2014 |
Luira Phanit
Luira Phanit at Poi village of Ukhrul
By : Mohen Naorem
Luira Phanit is one of the most important festivals of the Tangkhuls residing in the region. This is very auspicious for the community. Luira Phanit or Luita Phanit is widely celebrated at Poi, Shirui, Lunghar, Longpi, Hunphun and various other villagers in Ukhrul districts from 27 to 29th January 2014 this year.
We were fortunate to enjoy the Luira Phanit festival in the Poi Village of Ukhrul this time along with my friends. Three days of our stay in this small village, bordering Myanmar was a never forgetting moment of my life.
Poi is around 150 kilometers from Imphal. We travelled for 16 kilometres from the Awang Kasom (Ramphei) Check Post on the Jessami road. The road is motorable now due to PMGSY. However, we don’t know about accessing the same road during the monsoon season as we could see lots of pot holes and big carters on the road. Unfortunately, we have to drive our Bolero across the river water as no bridge has been constructed till now.
We wondered how will the villagers travel to Ukhrul or Imphal in case of any emergencies like healthcare or other basic amenities. Myanmar is hardly one and half hour walking distance from the village inhabited by 2500 villagers, having 357 households. International border pillar numbers 126 and 127 divide the Somra Tangkhul villagers residing in Myanmar from this village.
This seed sowing festival is not only famous for song and dance, rather it has a very religious and customary symbolism of the Tangkhul community residing in the region. This is the time when families keep their food out in the open and eat out, competition among each family over the best culinary skills of cooking pork – pieces as big as a puppy. The meat should be cooked soft enough for the old and the young to enjoy. Those who eat must never forget the taste of pork cooked with “Hao Chillies”- its color and aroma. This is also the time when the village serves the best rice beer as well.
During the festival, the village chief or Head Man commenced only after the chief of the village had first sown the seeds. The Village Chief has sacrificed Chicken and pork on the first day and pray to God for good harvest. He would then give the seeds and other cultivable crops to the villagers to reap a good harvest in the village. The old practice of “Harkho Khayeng” and “Kla Kapa case” were slowly dying from the Luira Phanit festival, which need to be conserved and promoted for the future generations.
Before the advent of Christianity, Luira Phanit was celebrated for 12 days. But slowly the festival was celebrated for three days now. This year, on 27th January, the festival start with meat killing for the function and good quality of wine were brewed in some Tangkhul villages which does not strictly follow Christianity doctrines. The baptized Tangkhul did not touch wine as it if forbidden for them.
Once we reached the Village, we got the news that we have to wear the head gears worn by Tangkhul men. We arranged to get only one piece, we have to make a head gear from bamboo and wear it to attend the function, else a fine will be imposed on us for not having it during the festival.
Another thing we observed during the first day was also on not attending at the inaugural function. Everyone must attend the inaugural, all houses must be locked. We were busy making head gears inside the room and could not attend it. When the organizing committee members came to inspect, we clarify that we were busy in making the headgears to attend the remaining functions and our problems were excused. It was mandatory for every woman, men, girls and boys to attend this once in a year festival to welcome at the best level and enjoy before going to field for cultivating crops for bumper harvest.
On the second day, that is 28th January, pork was cooked and each family ate their food in the courtyard which were inspected by the festival organizing committee to see which family cooked the best pork and prizes were awarded as well.
The meaning of this Seed sowing festival is that “Let’s enjoy happily with good food and relax our minds since we would be working in the field to produce good crops for the family.” People used to spend time leisurely in singing and dancing. Few modern games like Volleyball are now played during the festival. It was also worth watching Volleyball contest between Married men and bachelors; married women versus young girls.
The second day was a festive full of games like “Tug of War” among men and women. A similar form of Kabadi called “Raikhangnathot” was played in the early period which was not played today. What we have witnessed in “Tug of War” was the unity and courage of the women to prove their strength and superiority. When men were about to win the game, the spectators from the women’s side, went and took part to overthrow the men. This shows Tangkhul women will never want to defeat – a sign of great civilization and courageous community was seen in this game. We learnt that the rope (commonly roots of huge trees) used in the tug of war should break once, which is a good omen among the Tangkhul community. And it is not surprising that women won the Tug of War. We remembered a Tangkhul aunty saying, “Valley women are like pig - eating and sleeping when their men work whole day. Hill women are like buffaloes, ploughing and toiling in the farm for 3-4 months.”
“Lakhangamei” (meaning virgin dance) which attracted hundreds of villagers is a very beautiful dance form of the Tangkhul community. It is a very unique dance form which only the virgin girls perform in traditional attire. We could not watch this dance as we have to visit some other place during the festival. However, it has a very interesting story behind this dance. During the dance, if any, of the girls in the dance group is attracted, the boy can approach and propose her to meet within the month of March, otherwise by April, she will reject the proposal.
In today’s world, every community must promote and take part in the Luira Phanit festival and help the Tangkhul community to preserve their own custom and culture. For in every festival, we there is always a linkage between the hill and the valley history, which time have erased in its course. We have learned a lot of things from this year Luira Phanit - the hospitality, the bonding of hill and valley people, the cultural symbolism before the advent of Christianity in the hill and Hinduism in the valley. If we know the sentiments of the hill people and focus only 10 percent of the State development in these areas, we could change the outlooks of the hill people towards the valley people which we often called verbally “Ichin Inao”.
