Slamming away to sensation

Vinatoli Yeptho’s poem attacking racial prejudice and gender objectification goes viral on social media

Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 25  

A slam poem on racial prejudice and gender objectification has gone viral on social media since it was  posted in facebook on August 17.  

The poem entitled, ‘Five Rules for Whomever It May Concern’ has had over 104,088 views and 2500 shares on social media till the time of writing this piece. The impact will be more as the video is being shared massively in other platforms like WhatsApp and through multiple offline viewership.

The viral poem was performed on August 7 for the National Poetry Slam Audition held at West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata by Vinatoli Yeptho, who declares she is the proud daughter of Zhekhuli and Zhekihe Yeptho from Thahekhu Village, Dimapur.  

A St. Paul Higher Secondary School, Dimapur, Alumina, currently she is pursuing BA LLB from NUJS and had earlier performed the poem at few other events in Kolkata and New Delhi.  

Poetry slams feature a broad range of voices, styles, cultural traditions and approaches to writing and performance.  

Primary motivation

In an interview with Morung Express, Vinato said the poem was primarily written with an intent to empower women who, despite bias and discrimination, can stand together strong and bold and fight patriarchy.  

At the same time it addresses racial discrimination prevalent in the mainland against the people of the Northeast, she elaborated.  

“Before I left the state (after my 12th boards) for further studies I was told by relatives, seniors and friends to be alert because there are racial biases everywhere but I did not really believe in them until I faced it myself throughout my journey from the moment I stepped out of the state till now.”

I also realized one thing during these four years of being out of the state that it not just racial discrimination women from northeast face in their everyday life in ‘Mainland’ but it’s the duo of race and gender which we are subjected to, she added.  

Failing to come across any platform which took up these issues in public, Vinatoli decided to bring out the issue and get the conversation going through her poetry.  

“It also sent out a message to ‘Whomever it may concern’ that if you want to know about my diverse and beautiful culture all you need to do is just ask and we will happily tell you about our culture and tradition and not just assume.” While acknowledging that she and her friends have undergone racial prejudice in one way or the other, she recounted her first encounter with an ex-classmate who asked her, “Where do you live in China?”  

When I replied “I’m sorry I’m from Nagaland,” to my utter surprise, she then replied back “So where is Nagaland in China?”   Almost all the Northeasterners, or anyone with mongoloid features, face such racial stereotyping as well as name calling.  

Not a hate poem

Vinatoli, however, maintains that this is not a hate poem. “This is not at all a hate poem against ‘Mainlands.’ It is just my way of resisting certain practices.”  

I think it is unfair and unjust to certain sections of the people in the country, she concurs, adding that currently 70% of the people in her friend circles are not from the North-East and they too encouraged her to publish this poem.  

“Everyone is not same and there are wonderful people out there who are always ready to help us and accept us the way we are and it is up to us to choose the right ones.”  

She further felt that the North-Easterners are also not free from these prejudices and said, “We cannot expect others to accept us the way we are, without accepting them the way they are.”  

All I want to say is let’s spread ‘Love, Kindness and oneness’ and not let anyone be the victim of our judgmental minds, Vinatoli further explained.  

While she had an intuition that the poem will resonate with many people, Vinatoli said she did not realize the response would be so overwhelming.  

“After going through all the messages I get every day from young men and women not just from the North East but also from other parts of the country and also from countries like Nepal and Bhutan, I feel that the very purpose of writing and sharing this poem has been fulfilled. I’m thankful and forever grateful.”  

Talking about the future, Vinatoli, who counts reading, travelling and listening to people’s stories as hobbies, said she is still confused as a normal college student. “But as of now I want to focus on my academics, read and write as much as I can and let’s see where this will lead me.”  

                                       Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/benimsster/videos/10210122717369570/