(Left) Michael Harvey, Executive Director of Conference of Baptist Minister in Massachusetts, USA formally launches the book “God-Land-People- An Ethnic Naga Identity” written by (Right) Mar Imsong at Lotha Baptist Church Dimapur.
Dimapur, January 9 (MExN): “God-Land-People- An Ethnic Naga Identity,” written by Mar Imsong was released today at the Lotha Baptist Church, Dimapur. Michael Harvey, Executive Director of Conference of Baptist Minister in Massachusetts, USA formally launched the book during a rejoicing worship service led by Lotha Baptist Church Dimapur. Harvey introduced the book as a model for the whole world, saying that even though it mainly addresses Naga issues; it can serve as an example to the whole world. He felt that people need to start taking care of the earth that God has given and that the triad, i.e God-Land- People should be respected. “God-Land-People- An Ethnic Naga Identity, should be published widely,” he said.
Michael Harvey was also the key speaker at the service. The author is also founder of Nagaland Mercy Mission, a society that works towards full inclusion of people living with disabilities led a candle lighting service in dedication to all people living with disabilities. Special numbers were presented by DABA, Venutolu Tetseo and Illitoli. The book is published by Heritage Publishing House and priced at Rs. 380. It will be available at Heritage Publishing House for the time-being and later made available at major bookstores and outlets.
Meet the Author:
While interacting with The Morung Express, the author shared that ‘God-Land-People’ was born when he started questioning himself ‘who am I.’ The author points that Nagas had to live with military atrocities and recollects how he had to carry an Id even though he was living in his own land. Also, he says the stories he had heard about people who suffered from the hands of the military people got him thinking. He says that the book eventually started in 2007 as a theoretical idea when he tried to connect the ethnic-Naga history with the British, ethnic-Naga relation with Indians and ethnic-Naga relation to Christianity.
He explains that Land is not just a piece of property for Nagas and includes everything including the spiritual and material world, which thus shaped the traditional Naga identity and ethos, the triad of God-Land-People. Mar says that his book is just the beginning and through it he has tried to capture the Naga identity. “The problem that we are facing today is really an issue of identity,” he says. He also says that the problems faced by Nagas today, some people have tried to term it as an economy problem, while other has said it’s a problem of Sexitisation. “But it is not true,” he says.
Mar also believes that many of the Naga problems can be solved if we try to relate it to a relational aspect. He also stated that many of our political struggles can be solved. “It is only when our true identity is discovered, and then there can be a solution,” he says. Defining identity in relational aspect can solve a problem. It is not in exclusivity that we define our Naganess but it is in the inclusivity of all tribes, he says.
His books, he says is ultimately targeted towards the academic community, Theology students, social workers, and other Indian scholars. He also assures that through the book, he has not defined the Naga identity but merely shown the starting point, and hopes that maybe some scholar can even take the idea forward. I have just laid down a conceptual framework he says, and adds “I don’t claim to have a final definition on Naga identity.”
The only critique, he has strongly received, he reveals that is that today we are all living in a global world. But Mar says that in order for ‘me’ to be introduced to the global world ‘I’ need to have an identity.
Mar Imsong is a native of Yaongyimsen village of Mokokchung district in Nagaland. He worked in the Student Christian Movement of India and taught in seminaries in India prior to going to US in 1997. A passionate preacher, social worker, and an activist for justice, peace and inclusive ministry, he is currently working for the Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministries. He is also the founder of Nagaland Mercy Mission, an organization formed to provide help, guidance and hope for persons with developmental and physical disabilities in Dimapur.
Michael Harvey was also the key speaker at the service. The author is also founder of Nagaland Mercy Mission, a society that works towards full inclusion of people living with disabilities led a candle lighting service in dedication to all people living with disabilities. Special numbers were presented by DABA, Venutolu Tetseo and Illitoli. The book is published by Heritage Publishing House and priced at Rs. 380. It will be available at Heritage Publishing House for the time-being and later made available at major bookstores and outlets.
Meet the Author:
While interacting with The Morung Express, the author shared that ‘God-Land-People’ was born when he started questioning himself ‘who am I.’ The author points that Nagas had to live with military atrocities and recollects how he had to carry an Id even though he was living in his own land. Also, he says the stories he had heard about people who suffered from the hands of the military people got him thinking. He says that the book eventually started in 2007 as a theoretical idea when he tried to connect the ethnic-Naga history with the British, ethnic-Naga relation with Indians and ethnic-Naga relation to Christianity.
He explains that Land is not just a piece of property for Nagas and includes everything including the spiritual and material world, which thus shaped the traditional Naga identity and ethos, the triad of God-Land-People. Mar says that his book is just the beginning and through it he has tried to capture the Naga identity. “The problem that we are facing today is really an issue of identity,” he says. He also says that the problems faced by Nagas today, some people have tried to term it as an economy problem, while other has said it’s a problem of Sexitisation. “But it is not true,” he says.
Mar also believes that many of the Naga problems can be solved if we try to relate it to a relational aspect. He also stated that many of our political struggles can be solved. “It is only when our true identity is discovered, and then there can be a solution,” he says. Defining identity in relational aspect can solve a problem. It is not in exclusivity that we define our Naganess but it is in the inclusivity of all tribes, he says.
His books, he says is ultimately targeted towards the academic community, Theology students, social workers, and other Indian scholars. He also assures that through the book, he has not defined the Naga identity but merely shown the starting point, and hopes that maybe some scholar can even take the idea forward. I have just laid down a conceptual framework he says, and adds “I don’t claim to have a final definition on Naga identity.”
The only critique, he has strongly received, he reveals that is that today we are all living in a global world. But Mar says that in order for ‘me’ to be introduced to the global world ‘I’ need to have an identity.
Mar Imsong is a native of Yaongyimsen village of Mokokchung district in Nagaland. He worked in the Student Christian Movement of India and taught in seminaries in India prior to going to US in 1997. A passionate preacher, social worker, and an activist for justice, peace and inclusive ministry, he is currently working for the Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministries. He is also the founder of Nagaland Mercy Mission, an organization formed to provide help, guidance and hope for persons with developmental and physical disabilities in Dimapur.
