Most of clan members residing in the village continue to cultivate their jhum fields growing a wide variety of rice, vegetables, and fruits.
Joel Rodrigues
For the last few decades, the younger generations of the Yanthan clan of Humtso village had seen an empty plot of land in the middle of their C khel. When asked they were told that once upon a time, before the advent of Christianity, the clan Chumpo stood there for decades and perhaps a century or two. Their grandparents had all passed through its chambers, learned about the Kyong way of life, and slept nights after nights on its wooden bed.
Etsorhomo Yanthan, chairman of the Humsto Yanthan Yan Ekhung (HYYE), remembered the stories he was told, “Every couple had many children those days. The Chumpo was a place to sleep at night for children whose families had smaller homes. It used to be a classroom where the young ones were sent to learn. The youth lived there when major village works were undertaken for the common good. The village took care of its youth here, and the youth learned how to care of the village.”
On the ground of this ancient Chumpo, the clan has now built a community hall to honour the past, and recommit to the vision of continuing, collective future. The idea was first flouted in 2019. At subsequent clan meetings thereafter, two committees were formed to make this dream a reality. Eventually, the executive members of the Humsto Yanthan Yan Ekhung (HYYE) took on the responsibility upon themselves to start construction.
Based on clan members’ employment status, donations slabs were fixed from INR 15000 to INR 3000. Chumben B. Yanthan, assistant secretary of the HYYE, noted, “The amount collected in the first drive was insufficient to start construction. Therefore, the executive members had to make another appeal. A third round of appeal was made to selected members residing in the towns to cover the shortfall. This is how we gathered the requisite funds.” Construction for the hall began in 2024 with a new retaining wall andlaying the foundation.
“When we were digging the ground fora new foundation, we found the Chumpo’shümsten post albeit in a decayed state. It convinced us further that it was time to restore the land with a place where our clan could meet. A new foundation, a new place, with the blessings of our ancestors,” said Etsorhomo who headed the project and oversaw its completion. At the inauguration, it was befitting then for clan members to bow their heads in a two-minute silent prayer to the ancestors in thanksgiving and seeking their blessings. The oldest living clan member, Ntsamo Yanthan (82), was also present at the inauguration and recalled village memories of the olden days.
At the inauguration in the Lotha month ofEden (June), Dr. L. Wombemo Lotha, senior medical officer, Dr. Motsu Memorial Distict Hospital was invited to be the chief guest.He praised the collective effort made by the clan during the entire process of construction and bringing the vision to fruition. R. Chenio Yanthan, a class-1 contractor and supplier, gave the exhortation as the guest speaker. He reminisced his early childhood spent in the village. He called upon the clan members to continue working in the spirit of respect, understanding, and cooperation. Former deputy speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Ralanthung Yanthan who is also from the village clan sent a message.
The Chumpo now a community hall is a new beginning for the clan and renewal of commitment to the village roots. Etsorhomosaid, “Apart from being a place where we can resolve misunderstandings and disputes, it will be a place to gather to celebrate not just clan events but village events and activities. Importantly, we want this place to provide accommodation for clan members who are now settled elsewhere. It will be a place where they can stay to reconnect to their roots, land, and village. Like the old chumpo, this place will offer a gateway to our identity and culture alive in body and spirit.”
The one storey building incurred a cost of over INR 14 lakhs covered by the clan themselves. In the second phase, they plan to construct another floor with accommodation facilities. However, it was not just money that made this possible. Many clan members volunteered their time in the planning as well as contributed their labour. For months they assembled in the khel taking leave from their jobs elsewhere and/or tending to fields and plantations. The inaugural feast was also enjoyed in same spirit of collective labour and contribution. Every household in the khel cooked rice in their hearth and provided it for the meal. Volunteers came together to cook pork and machihan for everyone present.
With over 135 families in the khel, the clan promised to continue working together. Clan member, Nzanthung Yanthan, fisheries officer posted in Kiphire, said, “Our roots are here no matter where we are posted. As the younger generation, are now ready to spread our branches and work for a glorious future.”
