Book discussion on ‘A Naga Odyssey: Visier’s Long Way Home’ held
Dimapur, August 17 (MExN): The Naga Scholars Association (NSA) organised a book discussion titled ‘A Naga Odyssey: Visier’s Long Way Home’ in JNU, New Delhi on August 16.
The book discussion started with welcome note by Dr. Zuchamo Yanthan, President, NSA, and introduction of the author Dr. Visier Sanyu, who is also an advisor of NSA and President, Overseas Naga Association and the chairperson Prof. Sanjoy Hazarika, Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiatives (CHRI) and the discussant Dr. Parmod Kumar, Associate Professor, IGNOU.
Prof. Sanjoy Hazarika, noted author, journalist and a prominent Human Rights activist mentioned that Visier is also the founder of Naga yoga in Australia. He remarked that the book might astonish many with the author’s honesty. He appreciated the courage of his longtime friend Visier to come back home and setting up the ‘Healing Garden’ in Medziphema, Nagaland, where he not only kept all sorts of birds and animals but also uniquely constructing a one room apartment perched on a tree 30 feet above the ground.
Dr. Visier Sanyu began his story by narrating about how his grandfather had to run to the jungle in 1879 when the British burned down his village of Khonoma with nothing but a chicken. Two generations and almost a century later, Visier had to experience the same when he had to run to the jungle when the Indian Army razed his village to the ground in mid 1950s. He was 5 years old then, probably the same age his grandfather was in the previous century, only that he didn’t carry a chicken but was carried by his brother.
Dr. Visier said that he was reluctant to tell his story for many decades because he was unsure of the reception but he decided to master the courage and tell it for few reasons – that he does not want to let his jungle days be forgotten, that telling is a therapeutic experience and that there are ways to forgive. He encouraged the audience to tell their own stories because everyone has unique experience to recount.
Dr. Visier further stated that this book is not about anti India but rather about an indigenous community people called Nagas who are trying to survive in the post colonial era trying to preserve its culture and identity. Therefore, the book is all about friendship, hope, forgiveness and making a difference and finding new and better way rather than fighting.
The discussant Dr. Parmod Kumar mentioned that the book is an important one as it is not just an individual story but of a larger society’s experience. He stated that the book will serve the academic needs on diverse disciplines such as history, sociology, cultural studies etc. He commends the book for its balance view and not being overpowered by emotion or melodramatic, like many memoirs do. Dr. Parmod further said that this book will continue to inspire us with its key ingredients of freedom, faith, family, kindness, forgiveness and sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice. Dr. Parmod underlined the fact that Naga Odyssey book can be an instrumental as a light house in resolving all understanding problems facing us in the context of the Naga Society.
NSA, President, Dr. Zuchamo Yanthan and General Secretary, Dr. Lungthuiyang Riamei in a press release stated that the book discussion generated lots of responses and questions from the audience and Visier answered with his usual wittiness, keeping the eager listener wanting for more.
The event ended with a vote of thanks from Dr. Lungthuiyang Riamei, Secretary NSA. The rapportuer of the session was Dr. Vieo Pou, who is an author and a senior faculty in university of Delhi.
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