Nagas are people who love being together and usually the fire place is the centre where most communications take place. The first thing that Nagas have on their mind when they get up in the morning is to light the fire in the fire place. So also when they come home in the evening after their long day’s work, they search for the fire place. A fire place gives much pleasure and comfort. Meal time is never special, a heart to heart talk never satisfying, a get together or a festival never fascinating and a home never a home unless the fire is burning in the fireside. Family talks are discussed around the fire place. The fire place not only keeps the family ties intact but also makes the guests feel special and at ease. It is not an odd thing to hear a Naga saying to his or her neighbor, ‘please come inside and sit by the fireside for a while’ or ‘come and share the fire with us’. In this way, fire draws neighbors and binds people together. One can also imagine how Nagas in the past spent their evenings together by the side of the fire. An evening was probably filled with laughter, songs, stories and heart talks. The aroma of the burning fire was and is still a symbol of interconnection and friendship; and indeed the fireplace serves as the axis for communal development. Fire blazing in the fireside is also the centre of attraction during the festive season. It kindles the celebration and keeps the spirit of festivity glowing. Even if the food and drinks run out, people continue to stay on till the fire burns out. Fire indeed stimulates our feelings.
Today as we sit around the fire with family and friends to share laughter and joy, let us be reminded that it is Christ, who truly kindles our hearts. Just as fire stirs hearts to open up, so also it is Christ who gives meaning to our lives. It is Christ who makes us feel peaceful and warm on the inside. Just as fire brings people together, in Christ we come together as friends and not strangers. In Christ, we learn to embrace others into our circle without reservation and He enables us to move beyond the boundaries of differences. Today in a context where individualism and tribalism have taken the place of communal feeling, we need to let the fire of Christ rekindle our hearts and minds. This fire of Christ can make us understand that our differences are but ‘alternate beats of the same heart’ and that the other person is not so different but someone who breathes, talks, moves and feels like us.
Akhrieno Savi, Kohima
