Kaka.D.Iralu
I was shocked to read about the ex-communication of Dr.Tuisem Shishak by the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL). And even as I write, I hope it is just the work of some vested interests in the TNL and not the whole Tangkhul community that has taken this action.
I am not a Tangkhul and it is none of my business to interfere in Tangkhul affairs. I am however a Naga and I am expressing this personal opinions as a Naga communicating my solidarity with what - a fellow Naga – my uncle Dr.Tuisem Shishak had written in his confession.
1. Firstly, what uncle Tuisem wrote was not written on behalf of all Tangkhuls. He never made any allusion to that effect or that he was authorised by the Tangkhul Long to write something on behalf of the Tangkhuls. As far as I am concerned, what he wrote was a personal Christian confession acknowledging the excesses committed by his fellow Tangkhuls and apologising for those wrongs inflicted on other Naga tribes. My immediate reaction to his article was one of appreciation that a Tangkhul elder had very honestly apologised on behalf of his community. In response, I also wanted to write a similar article on behalf of my Angami community who have also been arrogant, full of pride and may even have been guilty of committing excesses to fellow Naga tribes and particularly the Tangkhul tribe. I however realised that I am only 51 years old and I am therefore not qualified to write as an elder on behalf of my tribe.
2. Secondly, in my opinion, ex-communicating Dr. Tuisem on the grounds that he had projected Tangkhuls as “Arrogant, have false pride and is not united…etc” is tantamount to saying that Tangkhuls are all humble people, have no false pride and a solidly united tribe. Now, such a hypocritical assertion cannot be made by any Naga tribe including my own Angami tribe because we all have our own shortcomings and flaws. Here, we may be thinking that we are the best tribe among all the Naga tribes but alas, other tribes know us better then we know ourselves.
3. Thirdly, in Naga history, in the past days, whenever a member of a village is converted to Christianity and tried to practice and act on his Christian beliefs, he is ex-communicated from his village. I hope we Nagas are not trying to go back to that age – all in the name of “Nagaland for Christ” and “Naga nationalism.” As far as I am concerned such a move is a disgusting backward movement, back to heathenism and barbarity.
In conclusion, uncle Tuisem may never have taken up arms to defend Naga independence, but as far as I am concerned, he and his wife are giants in the task of Naga nation building. Thousands upon thousands of Naga youth from Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh, owe their education and music careers to these two giant national workers. I salute both of them from the depths of my Angami- Naga heart. Their contribution to Naga history and future will ever stand indisputable.
