Members of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), PCC salute as the pallbearers carry the mortal remains of Margaret Anne Shishak for the funeral service at the Bundrock Chapel Auditorium, Patkai on May 30. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Patkai | May 30
Margaret Anne Shishak, arguably the foremost music missionary to the Nagas and beyond, was laid to rest today after a funeral service celebrating her life and legacy at the Bundrock Chapel Auditorium, Patkai Christian College (Autonomous). Margaret, who co-founded PCC with her husband Rev Dr Tuisem A Shishak, passed away on May 27 at the age of 80.
As faculty and staff, past and present students, family, friends and well-wishers from all walk of life converged to bid farewell and pay their last respect, there was sense of gratitude – a celebration of life well-lived on earth and an eternal life beyond.
PCC’s Board of Trustees member and peace activist, Niketu Iralu captured the mood aptly when he declared in his tribute that it was a “priceless of moment of all Nagas being grateful happy and grateful for one another.”
“This surely is the last perfect pitch of your music,” he noted, further affirming that the Nagas will not let the seeds of music and education diminish, but inspire and help one another to go forward into the future.
Among others, Margaret is credited for her contribution to western classical and Church music development in the region and formally introducing as a discipline in higher education.
But it was not just the musical legacy that was celebrated.
As her son, Machutmi A Shishak averred, ‘Patkai as a whole would not be here today without her. She was indispensable right-hand women, who, among others, wrote daily letters to supporters such individual and churches, kept records,’ and “reminded my father of things that needed to be done.”
While his younger brother following her footstep was a family legacy, the fact that music education is part of Class 9 and 10 curricula in Nagaland, not just in higher education, was largely due to her, he maintained.
Above all, we learnt from her that “to obey is better than sacrifice,” he added.
Her other qualities such as honesty, humility and perseverance as well as being a quite but independent strong-willed women were also highlighted by different speakers at the service.
Margaret’s indispensability to her family and the institution were further affirmed by Rev Dr Tuisem, who noted that she was the “best secretary, best editor and best teacher” with a clean and honest heart.
Deeply personal in celebrating his wife’s life, he considered their coming together “God’s will” and she has done more than her share for their mission together to bring about quality education as well as music to the region.
Administrating the funeral rites, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, General Secretary, Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho called her the ‘mother of modern-day music in Nagaland’ while former principal Rev Judson Rungsong called her mother of PCC for around 49 years.
We are indebted to her and her husband for establishing PCC here, said the speaker on behalf of donor villages – Chümoukedima and Seithekema, while the present college principal described Margaret as the ‘gem of a person’ - a source of endearment and challenge for the future generation.
For over 7000 graduates of Patkai, she was the matriarch and the silent force, the Alumni President stated.
Rich tributes were paid by representative from other family members, first batch of music vocational student (1991), Tangkhul Baptist Churches Association Nagaland, Tangkhul Hoho Nagaland, while condolences from Nagaland Chief Minister, Naga American Foundation and Shangshak Baptist Church were read out during the service.
