Dr. Salikyu Sangtam
St. Joseph University
The constant plea, on the part of many, for all tribes to unite and do away with tribalism has gained a significant eminence in our society’s discourse, especially with regard to solving the innumerable social and political maladies afflicting us. Realistically, this plea for a ‘united’ Naga is quite admirable; it is a crucial first step toward addressing and, thus, alleviating some of our most pressing socio-economic and political issues that confront our society today. The uproar made with regard to making our society free from corruption in its multiplicity, conducting elections that are uncontaminated by unfair practices, developing society’s infrastructures, increasing the living standards, addressing the issues of youth unemployment, resolving the Naga political problems with the Union Government of India, and so on have become undeniably loud.
Nagas are now beginning to realize that, without unity, among the various tribes, no problems can be solved. Indeed, a society that is not united will only disintegrate into oblivion; and such a society cannot be expected to solve the smallest of insignificant issues. If tribalism is not done away with, I am afraid, Nagas will be regressing backward into primitivism; thereby, paving the way for the Nagas to be conquered effortlessly. We are thus coming to a realization that without cleaning up our own internal problems, we cannot expect any existing societal problems to be solved anytime soon. I do understand that there are many “leaders,” “intellectuals,” “academicians,” “politicians,” “village elders,” and many others who are genuinely concerned about the lack of unity among the tribes and the debilitating Disease of Tribalism that are slowly eroding the very foundations of our society.
However, it is very painful to see that a majority of such aforesaid personalities are not only highly ill-informed (which is quite dangerous for they misled people by giving them false information), but are also deeply entrenched in tribalistic ways of thinking. They may say one thing (“No to Tribalism”), but their actions say another (“My tribe first” or “My Land, My Air, My Water, My World”). I suppose, there are many “good people” in our society; yet, they cannot think beyond their own tribe or their tribe’s interests. This, of course, is not to say that all are insincere, but that most of us are only “Talk” and “No Action.” It is very easy to talk big and mighty; we can even call heavens down to earth. But when it comes to action, one is scarcely willing to “Walk the Talk.” These are some issues we, as a society, need to deeply reflect upon. Despite such realities, Nagas, unconsciously or unbeknown to themselves, are already ‘United’; in other words, outwardly we are not united, evident by the fact that we are all very tribalistic in our ways of thinking and in our actions. However, unconsciously we are united. This unconscious unity is an essential first step toward realizing a ‘United’ society and in alleviating many of the Sicknesses of Tribalism. This is because, in my humble opinion, the unconscious is the birthplace of human actions and behaviour.
Much of our genuine and authentic intentions reside in this realm. And that our authentic selves, our genuine wants, desires, and feelings are dictated by our unconscious. Hence, what we unknowingly do, say, and feel are our authentic actions and feelings. Our subconscious does not lie, they are neither artificial nor fake; rather they are our candid, blunt, and straightforward feelings, wants, and desires: the way we, actually and honestly, feel. Expanding from such observation, it is easy to see that, Nagas are already united unbeknown to themselves. It is just that we have been too busy deriding and belittling each other that we’ve failed to realize such developments of an important event. The rationale for such a statement arises from my simple observation of our society, one city in particular: Dimapur. Why do, for instance, most people residing all over our state want to settle in Dimapur? Why do people, regardless of tribes, in our society, if given a chance or if lady fortune bestows her treasure, prefer to settle in Dimapur? Certainly, there are some obvious answers to such questions such as Dimapur is the commercial hub of Nagaland, living expenses are cheap, close proximity to Assam (especially, Khatkhati for market during Sundays and for procuring alcohol), relatively good schools and universities, etc. Yet, if one observes judiciously, one will realize that there is something more than these obvious reasons, some unseen factor that attracts the citizens of Nagaland, irrespective of tribes, to Dimapur. In my opinion, that factor is our yearning for unity; the unity to live amongst one’s brothers and sisters. It is a plea, an appeal for help, for unity from our collective Naga conscious, the archetype conscious of the Nagas. Essentially, it is also one of the universal features of humanity, for we yearn to live in a diverse society, where the primacy of one’s own group, tribe, religion, caste, etc. means very little when compared to the grandeur of all the goodness which the world gracefully presents.
Hence, people flock to work, to settle, to visit, to study in Dimapur because the variety of tribes that live peacefully and in harmony attracts them. The city provides refuge for the people to escape the everyday self-destructive tribalistic antagonism. There is something indescribable about being in the midst of such diversity; we are filled with overwhelming feelings of fellowship and camaraderie that enable us to transcend the narrow precincts of our group. It enlivens and makes the society more interesting; it broadens our mindset and rejuvenates our exhausted spirit. It certainly is better than living within the tiny confines of our own circle of tribes, where our interactions are limited to people from our own tribe within our own districts, sub-divisions, and villages that inevitably makes us prone to scheming and plotting about others. When we live in such a narrow environment, it invariably hampers our mental growth and the way we view the world around us. It is essential to realize that plurality of viewpoints and social differentiations encourage and cultivate a rich societal life. Without such diversities—be they tribes, groups, religions, etc.—a good, stable society cannot be established. Moreover, tribes living and working side by side in harmony bring out the very best of us as Nagas; the very best that we, as Nagas, are capable of; and the good and great things we are capable of attaining. No doubt, we see, even in Dimapur, that some colonies are divided into tribal khels—that only shows the worst of Naga mentality.
Regardless, Dimapur gets its identity and feature because of its blend of various tribes living side by side in harmony and, to some degree, united. Some readers may think that I am being too simplistic in my description of the city, but the point I want to convey is the underlying yearning and desiring for unity among the tribes. In spite of all the shortcomings of the city—be they pitiful roads, pitiable sanitations, lack of water in some areas, recurring power outages, and, not to forget, jealousy, wickedness, and the utter indifference of people inhabiting the city—it nevertheless provides a beacon of hope for the future, an unconscious cry for help from Nagas’ collective conscious. We unknowingly flock to this city because of our need for unity. We have not realized it, but subconsciously we have already taken the first step toward uniting our tribes in Nagaland. What we want and desire have been sitting right under our nose, but because of our narrow-mindedness and our tribalistic ways of thinking, we’ve failed to recognize, comprehend, and work toward realizing them. In many ways, the city of Dimapur exemplifies the vivification of how humans ought to live together in harmony and united as one. It is a Nagas’ Utopia, just as America is a utopia for all who wants to live and work side by side with people from all over the world, irrespective of nationality, race, gender, religion, caste, etc. People flock to the United States of America because, the multiplicity of cultures, religions, nations, etc. attracts people to settle and be part of something greater than themselves. It is a refuge for humanity in a world riven and divided in the name of race, nationality, religion, caste, tribes, and ideologies.
Thus, much as the United States embodies what is possible when people from all over the world live in unity and in harmony by contributing to the advancement of that country, Dimapur symbolizes the unimagined possibilities we are capable of achieving when tribes are united. What I want to convey to the readers is that we have unconsciously taken the first step towards unity. We have not realized it, nor are we aware of it. Nevertheless, the unconscious does not lie; it shows us what we honestly and genuinely yearn for. Hence, even without us knowing, we have established a city where we may live in the spirit of brotherly fellowship and in harmony with other tribes. We have, indeed, created a utopia for ourselves; a refuge from destructive tribalism. Let us not waste what we ourselves yearn for. I am quite aware of the fact that for many readers, this article may seem as an undeserving adulation for the city of Dimapur. Hence, for writing such an article adoring the city, I am eagerly awaiting an award from the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).
Dear DMC, I am fervently waiting for my reward. Please mail the reward to Dr. Salikyu Sangtam, Department of Political Science, St. Joseph University, Ikishe Village, Dimapur, Nagaland 797115. (I hope the DMC and the readers realize that I am only jesting here. I am forced to include this qualification because from what I know of Nagas, they do not get sarcasm or know the meaning of the word “sarcasm”).
