86-year-old Jongpongnukshi from Ungma Village and Lhouvitsu Kesezie, another octogenarian from Kohima village with a volunteer during the Clean Up Mount Pulie Badze near Kohima on May 22, marking International Biodiversity Day.
Kohima, May 25 (MExN): Around a hundred volunteers from churches and civic bodies joined hands to clean up Mount Pulie Badze near Kohima on May 22, marking International Biodiversity Day under the theme ‘Acting Locally For Global Impact’.
The clean-up drive, held in support of ‘Jotsoma Nature Conservation & Eco-Tourism’, was a joint initiative of Living: Empathy, Action and Fellowship (LEAF) and the Social Concerns Department, Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), in coordination with the Jotsoma Village Council, stated a press release received here.
Volunteers from Kohima Baptist Youth Fellowship (KBYF), Baptist Church Jotsoma (Youth Department), Calvary Baptist Church Jotsoma, Christian Revival Church Khriesarüü Khrotho Jotsoma and Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) participated in the drive.
‘Biodiversity needs collective action’
Addressing the gathering at Chaheki, the base point of Pulie Badze, Dr Villo Naleo, Secretary, Social Concerns, NBCC, said biodiversity conservation was a collective responsibility. “Biodiversity needs everyone’s cooperation, it won’t be saved by one person’s heroic act, but it can be saved by hundreds, thousands and millions of people making one per cent improvement in their habits and behaviours, which is necessitated by everyday commitment,” he said.
Dr Naleo drew a practical illustration of collective impact. “If a local church plants 10 trees today, and if all the 100 local churches in Kohima town plant the same number of trees, it amounts to 1,000 trees. The logic is simple, our action today influences not just one but many.”
He further urged the gathering to act beyond the day’s event. “We all can go back and start cleaning our own compounds, colonies, towns. If we can do it in Kohima, somewhere, others can also do the same.”
LEAF connects land, identity and faith
Chuti Semy, Coordinator of LEAF, introduced the organisation as a collective of young people committed to caring for, preserving and protecting the land, stories and Naga identity. Semy said the clean-up was “one way of asserting one’s responsibility in nurturing the land and the Naga identity.”
LEAF intern Imtidenla Kichu, speaking on the theme ‘My Land, My Responsibility’, said, “Protecting our land means protecting our environment and the resources God has given us.” She noted that it was the fear of losing their land that gave rise to the Naga political struggle and said the sacrifices of their forefathers enabled present generations to live with their land, history, culture and identity.
Shwisolo Kemp of the LEAF team said creating a sustainable ecosystem was “an expression of showing reverence to God,” and cautioned that as Nagas evolved and grew, they should not become a society that forgets God.
The legend of Pulie Badze
Penyüsielie Suokhrie, Secretary of the Jotsoma Village Council, narrated the origin story of Pulie Badze during the programme. The mountain is named after Pulie Nakhro, a well-built man from Zotshüma, the ancient name for Jotsoma, who fell grievously ill before he could hold a feast following his marriage to Chaselie-ü of the Geisuonuomia Clan. Before his death, he gifted his field, Tsakrakhralie Zie, to his wife as a token of love.
His grieving father erected a stone platform atop the hill as a seat for his son, believing him to still reside there. The hill thereafter came to be known as Pulie Badze, literally meaning ‘Pulie’s seat’.
Octogenarians add spirit to the drive
The oldest volunteer on the day was 86-year-old Jongpongnukshi from Ungma Village, Mokokchung, who was in Kohima on a visit and chose to stay back upon hearing of the clean-up, calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” He was accompanied by his friend Lhouvitsu Kesezie, another octogenarian from Kohima village.
Lhouvitsu recalled that the last time he climbed Pulie Badze was when he was about 17, over 65 years ago, and said, “When none of the people that I met today were even born, but by God’s grace, I am still here today.”
Ascending toward the summit, Jongpongnukshi said he was reminded of the Psalm, “Who will ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”
The programme at Chaheki was chaired by LEAF Coordinator Chuti Semy. Pastor Zakevi Kesen, President of KBYF, opened the event with a prayer, while the benediction was pronounced by Kivipu Jimomi of the LEAF team. KMC provided a truck for the day’s waste collection.
As the clean-up concluded, rain began to fall over Kohima, what organisers took as a fitting close to a day of community action for the environment.
