R.K. Ringthim
Gwangphun Gangmei
No nation or people on earth were ever named without deriving a nature or characteristics feature of that people or Nation. A person is identified by his or her looks. According to the looks, resemblances, comparative identical natures, the name is being composed to identify the object/person or thing. Human curiosity has inquisitive mind to know, define and attached to the thing of beauty or interest.
It is a universally accepted term that human family have originated from a single parent. Growth of human population has also necessitated the need to identify the person different from other person. Therefore, the name is used to denote thing or person different from the other being so as the thing or person is distinguished from other thing or being. Everything that is named under the sun has its meaning or reason to be called depending or relating to the nature, characteristics features, structure, colour or comparative similarities in the eyes or perception of the beholder.
Many theories or postulations about the word NAGA have been advocated by many writers, scholars or idealists to authenticate the term Naga. The word such as, Noga, Naka, Nag etc put forth by them to mean hillsmen, pierced ears, snake etc in Ahom, Burmese or Sanskrit languages or terms which when put to radical study could not justify the terms to be authenticated concept.
Reasoned that the term or name ‘Naga’ could most probably be derived from the characteristics; features, culture, and colour, structure, and character or habit of a Naga community/communities that phenomenally made known to the person of the first beholder who met him and named or called after him by his impression and conclusion. The word Naga could be a signifying name for all identical racial groups having the same physical features and nature differentiated from Common Mongoloid racial stock. While researching the meaning of the word Naga from among the Nagas’ word, it is found that, NAGA is a Rongmei term or meaning very much related to the people’s word for matured Child. The word NA mean child, GA means the matured one or qualified responsible man in the home. Further definition of NAGA could be; young and dynamic/energetic youth who are selected by the elder or older people to be the advance/frontier maker of home, road makers, settling of village, defenders, etc. The legendary tradition of the Rongmei tells that during the journey of migration, the sons or young men took a march away from China mainland toward the south in good numbers led by a strong and selected NA-GA. When they were sojourning in and around Chiangmai and Myanmar, the people might have asked the new coming immigrants the where about their origin and destination. For fear of detention, the leaders might have told them that they are selected or ordained children (youth) of the mainland telling themselves as NAGA. Hence, the word NAGA might have been perceived or called by the onlookers who met them. Since then we have been known as Nagas. According to Dindai Gangmei in his Book p- 16 “ Mahao Taobhei” mentioned and advocated the word NAGA to have been derived from a Naga group he referred to Rongmei Naga. This substantiate the proposition that the word NAGA is our own Naga term.
In the custom and historical relics of Rongmei society perhaps in primitive era or during the mass migratory journey from China, as retold by old living persons, they came from the mainland China during Hans dynasty. When they were sojourning in Mahaw (Fuzhou), they often faced a ragging storms and cyclone devastating properties and crops. Along their journey, they cultivate Jhume farming wherever they sojourned. Sometimes they resume their journey of migration, leaving the field un-harvested. The next coming group following after them would harvest it. It is also told that the seeds sown by advance group(NAGA) would be harvested by the rear or follow up groups. Sometime in thick jungles and deep gorges, they would walk across it on ropes made of a climber plant (GA-luoi). It is said that, the large numbers of migrating troops would walk cross the same ropes and spoiled it by continual stampede; the next would replace it with new one. There are few folk songs still sang by older people in pensive memory of the time in China, when they were constructing the Sinlung (stone wall) or may be called the great wall of China.
The footprints of migrations of our ancestors remain in scattered parts of Asian continent now known as Asian Nations. The NAGA groups taking the southwest direction settled their prints in the present land of the Nagas in the northeast and south east Asia region. When the great phenomenal migration took place, our ancestors along with other South east Asian nations landed in south east part of the Asian continent. Paul Hottaway in his book, “Operation China” a study of indigenous minority of China wrote, “ Many groups and peoples migrated across the continent, some fleeing from persecution, other because of famine and still others searching for land where they might live in peace” The land they occupied was a barren land unknown to the world. It was believed to be an apportioned part of the globe for the yellow race of Mongoloid stock by rhyme of natural phenomenal human migration since the early part of human dispersal period.
Having the endearing attachment to our origin and beginning of our history, it is a natural instinct and desire that our Naga people should be called by her own true and indigenous name or identity. It is a matter of derogation to call our people by other alien people by their terms which has no implication or relation to our culture, nature or feature. To be true to our way of life and name in comparison with other people in the Northeast region, we are not only the Hillsmen or pierced ear people, or never snake worship people as many writers defined the Nagas to be. In the search for authenticate meaning and reason for our people to be called Nagas, many confusing theories should not blind folded us neither should we succumb to foreign name. We Nagas have our own phlethora of reasons, cultures, customs, tradition and historical relics and resources to identify ourselves as a distinct people and Nation. No force or influence of whatsoever can deface our people when we stand true to our origin and stand steadfast upon the rock of truth of humankind as designed, purposed by the Creator of the Universe.
The art is co-authored work of Ringthim a writer and Gwangphun Gangmei a researcher and social worker. The art is of personal views and exclusively intended to research the originality of the Naga people.
