Benjamin Vinito Chishi
One could write a book about Nagas and their love for pork. I know just one person who has stopped eating pork because of a bad experience that stuck. The rest are undeniably ardent fans who, at the sight of it, are bound to pass a remark- the taste‘tail toh bishi mitha ase deh!’ (the fat is really tasty), the look ‘itu mangso toh *feels it* bhal hobo’ (this meat will be good!), the texture‘local mangso toh norom *stress on this word* aro mitha!’ (Local meat is soft and tasty), the proportions ‘mangso bishi aro tail komti toh biya ase *hand with a pointed gesture* (too much flesh and less fat is not good), the smell ‘local nahoi le gun *slightly disgusted face* bhal nai’ (if its not local pork, it has a bad smell), my personal favourite is one I just learnt of, the feed ‘pata khela aru tai laga dana pakai kena khela alak *hand gesture to stress* thakey!’ (The taste of pork if the pig was fed greens vs. if it was cooked feed, is different). So its clear, when it comes to pork, the Naga analysis is a skill that outdoes all data and science, these are mind maps and graphs that, if put on paper, would perhaps equal Newton’s Laws of Gravitation (not on the health front but definitely on the taste)
Pork finds its way into conversations that can happen anywhere and at anytime- office boardrooms, doctor’s chambers, church- you name it. A project comes through or you get a promotion and the celebrations begin with not-so-subtle jokes like “Ghaori ekta katibo lagibo!” (You’ll have to butcher a pig!), with the person who was of most assistance adding ‘matha toh moi lobo deh!’ (I’ll take the head). Pork features at times when one’s feeling under the weather ‘ghauri mangso di le bi nakhai’ (Doesn’t eat even if its pork) because that’s symptom-A of being unwell. It makes an appearance when your anger has been tested, especially when one’s a bit buzzed, ’ghauri mangso nishna piece-piece *gnashing teeth* kati dibo deh!’ (Cut you into pieces like pork!)- a threat you can’t take for granted! It’s also a conversation starter, like when you meet an old acquaintance after ages and it begins with ‘arre, ghauri mangso bishi khai ase naki?’ (Are you eating a lot of pork!) to mean a variety of things - if you’ve put on weight, or looking fit, or looking good- one can’t fully tell.
Pork is the ultimate signifier for a number of Naga practices- to represent things which go unsaid. The head, for instance, if gifted, is usually given as a sign of the highest respect and honour to a person. The limbs also hold high value and are given according to the order of precedence in the personal protocol list of the giver’s family. So receiving these parts would perhaps solicit an acknowledgement of sorts, in return, in some cases. The story goes that according to early Naga custom of a certain tribe, a potential suitor would be fed with the finest meal by the potential father-in-law which would contain a chunk of pork fat, finishing this to some, is considered a test of his worth. Pork is also the USP for many activities especially during fundraising time- lotteries sold with the head as the 1st prize, 2nd a leg and so on.
What makes pork so special and an integral part of the Naga life is definitely more than just the taste. Pork has been a symbol of well being, happiness, success, wealth, festivities, and therefore, to be in a position to provide this for the family would perhaps mean you are able, happy and content. To be able to provide for the village would mean, you’re a person of prominence or simply, you’re rich! Naga traditions are loaded with meanings that subtly define who we are as a people, many of them embedded in the activity of feasts and meals of which pork is an essential item.
Among the many things scarce in this lockdown has been pork and the desperation for it is telling of how it continues to top the list in our diet. I heard someone making a passing comment on how these dietary habits suited our forefathers who were long hunters and gatherers, warriors, farmers who performed all sorts of manual labour that required intense physical exertion. Perhaps, it’s true. This protein rich diet probably resulted in those chiseled features and strong physiques you would often see in old pictures. Fast forward a century, the advent of machinery, technology, cars, sedentary jobs, are all of us still performing these arduous tasks? If not, maybe you’d want to think twice before that second helping of lean meat glazed with axone or anishi.
Lockdown presents itself as a good time to train oneself to exercise restraint lest our bodies do not allow us to consume pork completely. The traditional practices must stay but health demands that the pork must be cut down. I’m telling myself this, repeating it over and over again like a chant, as I smell the mouth watering aroma of pork with bamboo shoot coming from my mom’s kitchen. Sigh!
