Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• Great question. the last two years up until now Naga society really seem to be undergoing changes in the collective consciousness, which is manifested in the emergence of ACAUT movement and the formation of organisations like BAN. each time someone stands up to fight for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others it sends out a tiny ripple of hope. food clothing and shelter are not most important needs of man as much as the need for freedom justice and healing, it is the gross inequality of food clothing and shelter that divides us, this realization seems to be dawning at least among the younger lots, who seem, fed with the culture of compromised values, cynicism and tribal politics. thus I am not only hopeful whether we can overcome but i firmly believe the process has already begun.
• Yes but just mere majority, maybe around 55%.
• Yes Nagas are trying.
• I think there are some positive signs that the present Naga generations are willing to rise above tribalism. However this also means they have to disobey their elders in areas of tribalism. If we keep listening to the narrow and patriarchal thinking of the older generations, we are doomed.
• The modern Naga is much more willing and open to go beyond tribalism. It will not be easy since our older generations are stuck too deep in their negative tribal thinking and attitude. But slowly as the younger generation becomes mature, we will be able to overcome.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No. Everyone is against tribalism but not in reality. It cannot be overcome until and unless we change our mindset, attitude, ego, and selfishness.
• Nagas have become a visionless and spineless people with no moral integrity. Look at the way we are encroaching land at the behest of some politicians and bureaucrats. We are following the herd mentality, and the leaders of the herd are only looking out for their own at the expense of the majority.
• Tribalism is killing Nagas, and madly we are following it like the pied piper.
• I expected younger people to be more educated and more aware about the ills of tribalism. Sadly, rather than overcoming tribalism, today’s youngsters are promoting more tribalism and groupism in our state.
• Not at all. In fact we keep shying away from addressing tribalism.
• Its sad to say that the modern day Naga is unable to overcome tribalism. In fact they are becoming more narrow and narrow in their thinking. It is unfortunate that new organizations like the Nagaland Tribe Council which was formed to promote the welfare of all people in Nagaland has succumbed to the politics of tribalism. Today they have been reduced to rejecting the recognition of one sub-tribe. What kind of future are they building for their children? They are the ones fuelling more tribalism.
• Nagas have a long way to go before we are free from tribalism.
• To overcome tribalism, it needs a change in our attitude. Going by the way things are, people are not willing to change their attitude. Every sensible Naga will say that they support against tribalism, but no one is really willing to change their attitude.
• No one is serious about tribalism. We have all become corrupted.
• Is it not obvious that we are not willing to rise above our own tribes. Just look at the present race for the chief minister’s seat. The division is along tribal lines. When our politicians and leaders are organizing themselves along tribal lines, than definitely the society itself becomes divided along tribes. We are just not ready for change.
• We are not doing enough to fight tribalism. We condemn through words, but through action we are promoting tribalism. This is why tribalism is flourishing in Nagaland.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• Going beyond our tribal identity will not be pragmatic for our community since it is well recognised, even in the highly western liberal societies, that individuals are culturally embedded. In other words, individuals make choices under certain cultural context and that culture provides a secure context of choice for individuals. If we adopt a 'benign neglect' attitude to culture and adopt a 'colour blind' notion of equality, it will place certain individuals at a disadvantage since the liberal state is itself not neutral, it always has certain lineages towards a particular dominant culture. Therefore in our context what we can do is to celebrate our differences and promote multiculturalism. This would mean recognising every particular culture as equal in the public domain. To corroborate further if we are to ensure equality among different individuals members of our diverse culture, we need to recognise our differences, that is, treating people equally but with a difference.
• The time is not yet ripe. People are still lost groping to get some fresh air. Unless there is some kind of revolution in Nagaland things will not change.
• Having many different tribes is not necessarily bad. No country is comprised only of one tribe. Every country in the world is made up of a many tribes and cultural communities. The important thing is for them to learn to live together peacefully by respecting each other. Nagas should take our tribal identity as a blessing. There are many tribes, and this is our strength. The problem is when one tribe tries to dominate over the others, or when we extend favor according to our tribal preferences. Such practices needs to be overcome.
• It will take time. This older generation must go and the new generation should do away with the traditional tribal ideologies.
• We overcome tribalism Nagaland must do away with the so-called “backward Nagas” and “advanced Nagas.” Such attitude and thinking is creating tribalism.
• I don’t mean to sound too skeptical as the reality is there for all of us to examine and introspect, if you will about why tribalism has become a monumental hurdle not for the present Naga generation but perhaps the Naga generation yet to be born to overcome this one of the mounting difficult challenges. Let me take solace in taking time out of it and think a little ahead of time for where the evolution of change in humanity is inevitable no matter how transigient or myropic or parochial our mindset may be in the prevailing context.
• Great question. the last two years up until now Naga society really seem to be undergoing changes in the collective consciousness, which is manifested in the emergence of ACAUT movement and the formation of organisations like BAN. each time someone stands up to fight for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others it sends out a tiny ripple of hope. food clothing and shelter are not most important needs of man as much as the need for freedom justice and healing, it is the gross inequality of food clothing and shelter that divides us, this realization seems to be dawning at least among the younger lots, who seem, fed with the culture of compromised values, cynicism and tribal politics. thus I am not only hopeful whether we can overcome but i firmly believe the process has already begun.
• Yes but just mere majority, maybe around 55%.
• Yes Nagas are trying.
• I think there are some positive signs that the present Naga generations are willing to rise above tribalism. However this also means they have to disobey their elders in areas of tribalism. If we keep listening to the narrow and patriarchal thinking of the older generations, we are doomed.
• The modern Naga is much more willing and open to go beyond tribalism. It will not be easy since our older generations are stuck too deep in their negative tribal thinking and attitude. But slowly as the younger generation becomes mature, we will be able to overcome.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No. Everyone is against tribalism but not in reality. It cannot be overcome until and unless we change our mindset, attitude, ego, and selfishness.
• Nagas have become a visionless and spineless people with no moral integrity. Look at the way we are encroaching land at the behest of some politicians and bureaucrats. We are following the herd mentality, and the leaders of the herd are only looking out for their own at the expense of the majority.
• Tribalism is killing Nagas, and madly we are following it like the pied piper.
• I expected younger people to be more educated and more aware about the ills of tribalism. Sadly, rather than overcoming tribalism, today’s youngsters are promoting more tribalism and groupism in our state.
• Not at all. In fact we keep shying away from addressing tribalism.
• Its sad to say that the modern day Naga is unable to overcome tribalism. In fact they are becoming more narrow and narrow in their thinking. It is unfortunate that new organizations like the Nagaland Tribe Council which was formed to promote the welfare of all people in Nagaland has succumbed to the politics of tribalism. Today they have been reduced to rejecting the recognition of one sub-tribe. What kind of future are they building for their children? They are the ones fuelling more tribalism.
• Nagas have a long way to go before we are free from tribalism.
• To overcome tribalism, it needs a change in our attitude. Going by the way things are, people are not willing to change their attitude. Every sensible Naga will say that they support against tribalism, but no one is really willing to change their attitude.
• No one is serious about tribalism. We have all become corrupted.
• Is it not obvious that we are not willing to rise above our own tribes. Just look at the present race for the chief minister’s seat. The division is along tribal lines. When our politicians and leaders are organizing themselves along tribal lines, than definitely the society itself becomes divided along tribes. We are just not ready for change.
• We are not doing enough to fight tribalism. We condemn through words, but through action we are promoting tribalism. This is why tribalism is flourishing in Nagaland.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• Going beyond our tribal identity will not be pragmatic for our community since it is well recognised, even in the highly western liberal societies, that individuals are culturally embedded. In other words, individuals make choices under certain cultural context and that culture provides a secure context of choice for individuals. If we adopt a 'benign neglect' attitude to culture and adopt a 'colour blind' notion of equality, it will place certain individuals at a disadvantage since the liberal state is itself not neutral, it always has certain lineages towards a particular dominant culture. Therefore in our context what we can do is to celebrate our differences and promote multiculturalism. This would mean recognising every particular culture as equal in the public domain. To corroborate further if we are to ensure equality among different individuals members of our diverse culture, we need to recognise our differences, that is, treating people equally but with a difference.
• The time is not yet ripe. People are still lost groping to get some fresh air. Unless there is some kind of revolution in Nagaland things will not change.
• Having many different tribes is not necessarily bad. No country is comprised only of one tribe. Every country in the world is made up of a many tribes and cultural communities. The important thing is for them to learn to live together peacefully by respecting each other. Nagas should take our tribal identity as a blessing. There are many tribes, and this is our strength. The problem is when one tribe tries to dominate over the others, or when we extend favor according to our tribal preferences. Such practices needs to be overcome.
• It will take time. This older generation must go and the new generation should do away with the traditional tribal ideologies.
• We overcome tribalism Nagaland must do away with the so-called “backward Nagas” and “advanced Nagas.” Such attitude and thinking is creating tribalism.
• I don’t mean to sound too skeptical as the reality is there for all of us to examine and introspect, if you will about why tribalism has become a monumental hurdle not for the present Naga generation but perhaps the Naga generation yet to be born to overcome this one of the mounting difficult challenges. Let me take solace in taking time out of it and think a little ahead of time for where the evolution of change in humanity is inevitable no matter how transigient or myropic or parochial our mindset may be in the prevailing context.
