For the Dolie clan- a branch of the Gwizantsu and Merhuma clan of Khonoma village- this will be the second dead body that the clan and the village will receive in more than 62 years of national service. And as I try to pen down my tribute to my uncle Kevilevor, these thoughts came to my mind: Is Nagaland a place where families are formed only to be separated for the rest of their lives? These thoughts occurred in my mind because, as a researcher and writer of our history, I have come across the stories of many other families who have suffered more tragic separations and deaths then what our own family has suffered. Yes, I know stories of wives hanging themselves because they could no longer carry on the burden of raising their children without a husband who had gone to war and never was there to look after the family. Yes, also of husbands coming home at last, only to find their wives re-married to someone else. The scars and wounds of families, clans, and villages indeed run very deep in Naga history of the past six decades. And only those who have suffered it know the depths of the pain and the agony.
As for my uncle Kevilevor, the only memory that I have of him as a child was when he came to my maternal grandmother’s house one night long long ago. It was in the early 1960s. From the recesses of my childhood memory, I can still see him in his thick glasses smiling and talking to me.
The second memory was after nearly forty years when I met him again in London in 2002. In that 16 hour visit, he took me for a tour of London city and that was the second and last time I ever saw my uncle. As for his father and my grand- uncle- A. Z. Phizo, he left Nagaland in 1956-the year I was born. Like some of his own children, I saw only his dead body in April 1990 when it was brought back home after 34 years of exile from his dear and loved ones. Like some of his own children, I too never spoke one word to him or ever saw him live in my 57 years of life on earth. For me, my grandfather was a man who lives in the realms of fairy tales. As for my aunt Adino, though she was my mother’s bridesmaid in my parents marriage, I have seen and talked to her only once in my entire life which was during my visit to London in 2002. I am looking forward to seeing her again as she, hopefully, accompanies her dead brother’s body back to Nagaland after 50 years of exile (She joined her father in the national service in 1964.).
Uncle Kevilevor, as your mortal remains come home from a lifetime of service to the nation, I salute you for keeping the original Naga story alive for all these years. You have now passed into the annals of Naga history as one of those Naga patriots like Khadao and Yankong who have served the nation with their all and their best without even getting married. Safe journey home UNCLE.
Kaka D. Iralu
