“The fact of Nagas as a nation is established and will not go away”- Visier Meyasetsu Sanyü
Morung Express News
Kohima | November 24
“The jungle changed our world view. Traditions were altered and taboos were broken out of desperation. The jungle is still very vivid in my memory. I often wonder how we were able to survive. How did we manage to avoid the Indian Army, find food and shelter, and avoid death for over two years?” read the excerpts from Visier Meyasetsu Sanyü's memoir ‘The Naga Odyssey’ launched on November 24 at Hotel Japfü, Kohima.
The memoir which is written along with Richard Broome, Emeritus Professor of History at La Trobe University of Melbourne, Australia tells the story of Visier from his days finding refuge in the jungle at the age of six with his family till his journey in a different part of the world finding refuge in Australia. The memoir took four years to complete. The main purpose of writing the memoir, according to Visier, is to record the Nhanumia (those who live in the jungle/forest) experience during the peak of Naga movement and Indian army atrocities. Secondly the purpose of the book is for the overseas Nagas whom Visier considers “are struggling to find their identity.”
“And for four years, I cried because I had to be authentic, I had to write things that were shameful. I had to be exposed and not covered. The process took four years of forgiving, learning, tears, humiliation,” expressed Visier during the book launch. “This is a memoir and not an autobiography. This is my memoir of my life. This story is written to you and your children,” asserted Visier.
Delving further on the Nhanumia experience, Visier poignantly recalled the torture and hardships his people went through during the turbulent phase of Naga history, adding his own personal experiences where his father was tortured by an Assamese police officer when he was six years old. So the book is written, said Visier, for the sake of the future generation of what has made you Nagas, what has created a creative imagination of a people.
Despite Nagas going through a difficult journey of becoming a people, Visier viewed that the fact of Nagas as a nation is established and will not go away.
“The only way we can destroy ourselves is to deny our identity, our facts, our journey in the jungle,” said Visier. The book was launched by Mhonlumo Kikon, Minister, Geology and Mining and Border Affairs, who also reviewed that the book is a memoir of every Naga from his (Visier's) generation. “This is every Naga's journey and memoir.
This story is something that their generation should write over and over again. It is necessary for the younger generation to look at history through the eyes of their generation,” said Kikon adding that the book is an honest memoir.
During the book launch, Mhonlumo Kikon noted that young Nagas are aware of their history. “Any Naga who is not aware of the history will not be a part of the future of the Nagas. They will not know the history therefore they will not know how to lead the Nagas,” said Kikon.
This awareness of one’s history also shapes the decision in the present, as Kikon pointed out, “Things we have accepted as our history is informing our decisions today.”
Citing the last cabinet meeting where the discussions were held on the MHA's extension of the Disturbed Area Act in Nagaland, Kikon said, “We had a lot of discussions where my perspective is a little different because I come from a human rights background. The MHA had written to us to extend the DAA. So in the discussion we reiterated that we have refused to extend the DAA.”
“In Nagaland this year, we have refused to extend the DAA. Although the MHA themselves will impose it on us. But for us in the State of Nagaland we have taken our stand,” said Kikon.
