Officials of Naga Club and others during the celebration of Naga Day at Kohima on January 10. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | January 10
A solemn programme was held in observation of the ‘Naga Day’ by recounting the history of the Nagas from the formation of the Naga Club in 1918, the Naga memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929, and its impact on Naga history.
The programme was organised by the Naga Club at Kohima Village council hall this morning, January 10.
“The awakening consciousness of the Naga mind realising that the Nagas belong to one distinctive community and so the need of coming together for a journey towards a common goal and to determine its own fate. The formation of the Naga Club at Kohima in 1918 was the foundation to begin that journey” said TN Manen, (Retd) IAS.
The formation of the Naga Club is the turning point in Naga society, which was the beginning of Naga unity, he added. Speaking on the Simon Commission and its impact on Naga history, Manen said “the submission of the Naga memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929 was the articulation of the Naga minds in the Naga way.”
Narrating the Naga people’s arduous political journey, beginning with the first intrusion of the foreign element, the Ahoms in 1228 AD to the formation of the NNC, Manen noted “our forefathers have forged a strong unity with a feeling for one another which was the backbone to stand strong and had sustained so long.”
He however, noted with regret that today, the nationalistic impulses among the Nagas, and the feeling of oneness and goodwill towards each other, is now waning, giving way to tribalism, intolerance of each other, short sighted conflict of interest and personal rivalries.
As such, he observed that the Nagas have began to identify more on the diversities and distinctive characteristic of each tribes “rather than developing a common road map for all Nagas to journey together towards a common future with understanding as was perceived and visualised by our pioneering leaders.”
“Today, as we journey along towards the end, the fatigue syndrome has seeped in and the virus of disunity, divisiveness, intolerance has set in. It is sad that today, we have no organisation to confidently and authoritatively represent the collective voice of the Nagas,” he lamented.
Nagas, he asserted more than ever need a unifying socio-political organisation or body to speak and represent the Nagas with all fairness.
Towards this, Manen wondered if the Naga Club can be revived and take that place as in the initial stage of the Naga’s march into the modernity and towards establishing a distinctive self-determining identity of Naganess.
NC reaffirms commitment
The newly elected President of The Naga Club, Kuolacalie Seyie meanwhile reaffirmed its commitment and mandate to work for the welfare of all Nagas, and further reiterated its strong stands in its belief that differences or disputes arising out of hatred, lies, corruption, manipulations or bitterness will not be allowed to weaken and divide the Nagas.
Along with others, as Nagas are moving fast into the modern world with new threats and challenges, Seyie said “this is a litmus test of our age old virtues, human values and unity and how best we respond to these with clarity of thoughts, integrity and steadfast moral courage will define who we are or where we are heading” so we need to be adequately equipped to face the complexities.”
Making a clarion call in his presidential address, he said Nagas, facing greater challenges today, should place the common good above all else and work as one, set aside their differences, rise above narrow interests to make them stronger in order to achieve what is right and best for the Nagas as a whole.
He reminded that “although Nagas have suffered subjugation by vastly superior powers outside in our modern history, we ought to be proud that our forefathers didn’t hand down to us a legacy of defeat or a defeated story, they stood unwavering, in defiant defense of our history and honour as a people and as a nation.”
“Our minds and our Naga national soul have never been colonised or compromised at any point of time. It is the solemn responsibility and bounden duty of every Naga to preserve the integrity of this priceless inherited legacy” stated Seyie.
Special numbers were also presented by Aeterna and Meleat.
