They say the sky is the limit. Well, I beg to differ. For the Naga women, the sky is just the starting point. They can go well past the Stratosphere and reach for the stars, Sun, and Moon.
They have never ceased to amaze with their talents, winning attitude and the unquenchable desire to excel. Call me patronizing or biased if you want to, but I have enough proof to back my “bias”. The Naga women today have made their presence felt in different fields, ranging right from Defense to the world of Glamour and Fashion to the Online world, and even Sports.
The latest in the list of trendsetters and achievers is the 22-year-young Vinatoli Yeptho who has recently taken the internet by storm. Her slam poetry about discrimination against women from the Northeast has made people sit up and take notice. Without sounding arrogant and brash, she has tactfully sent across a very strong message. There has been a lot of hue and cry about the injustice meted out to women from the Northeast in other states but none have been as effective as Vinatoli in educating the ignorant about the largely misunderstood women from the Northeast. And while Vinatoli is a path breaker in her own right, we also often get to read success stories of Naga female students topping University exams and bagging gold medals in other states.
This is, without an iota of doubt, an irrefutable proof that they are at par or even better than their counterparts from other states.
Wait, we are just about getting started. Another Naga woman to have carved a niche for herself in recent times is Limatola Longkumer who is regarded as one of the best illustrators in India. Her works have been featured in Cupick blog, Polkacafe, Sketchnotes, Campusdiaries and Nagaland Page.
And while some can write powerfully and sketch beautifully, there are countless others who can croon like a dream and have you spellbound. One budding talent in particular that caught my attention a few years ago is teenager Imtiyala Jamir (She was 12 then). Her rendition of Demi Lovato’s Skyscraper is as good as, if not better, than the original. She has all the trappings to become Nagaland’s very own Demi Lovato.
Another Naga youngster to have created quite a stir is Moajungla with her rendition of Dolly Parton’s Coat of Colours. There is also the unmistakable Tetseo sisters who have drawn the attention of musicians from others parts of India.
Their Folk Mix version of Barso Re is an absolute masterpiece!! There are many others besides the few I have mentioned and if I have to list them all, I better write a book.
In the field of sports, PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik are currently of the toast of the country with their exploits in the Rio Olympics but I am keen to follow the progress of Lenien Jamir who plays for Assam and won the Under-16 SAI-AITA Super Series tournament held in Guwahati earlier this year. I just hope she has all the support to rise through the ranks and compete at the highest level. My write-up also would be incomplete without the mention of archer Chekrovolu Swuro who represented India in various international tournaments and even won medals.
The greatest sportswoman to have emerged from the Northeast is undoubtedly Mary Kom but Nagaland has also richly contributed to the National women’s boxing team with the presence of a coach, Tsungchetrenla Tzudir.
Not just mentally sharp, the Naga women are also physically strong. The year 2010 is one that I will remember for a long time. I was a television producer in Bengaluru then. In the build-up to the Commonwealth Games, news of scandals and financial misappropriation flew thick and fast with the infamous Suresh Kalmadi at the centre of it all. But when the Games finally got underway, the sight of Naga women in combat fatigues patrolling the streets of New Delhi was therapeutic to say the least. It made me proud and I had something to boast about. The 800-odd women police from Nagaland made all of Nagaland proud even as they got a pat and word of praise from the then Union Minister P Chidambaram.
It is just not with the pen, palette, microphone or assault rifle that the Naga women are adept. It is also a well known fact they are blessed with good looks, flawless skin and silky hair. I often tell my friends from other states that women in Nagaland don’t need Fair and Lovely or Sunsilk. They just need to hold themselves with confidence and poise and that is enough to turn heads and mesmerize.
Talk about quintessential Naga beauty and the first name that comes to mind is that of Imlibenla Wati, Miss World Beauty India.
Nagaland has also given India and the world some of the most stunning and gorgeous supermodels. To name a few; Ketholeno Kense, Esther Jamir, Akuonuo Khezhie, Kethose Nagi, Ethiel Konyak and Carol Humtsoe.
I have listed a few achievers but I am prompted to write this article mainly because of those who silently work behind the scenes and never call it quits. As a Language and Phonetics trainer in Dimapur, my association with my Naga female students has been most rewarding. I teach Phonetics to people from different communities and the Naga female students are invariably better than the others because of a minimal Mother Tongue Influence. Amongst my students, there are also those in their mid 40s who still have the desire to learn try their best to speak English because of the need of English today. This article is dedicated to them; women, who silently work hard without expecting any fame, juggle between work, taking care of the children and husband, and learning at the same time.
Samuel Beech, Dimapur
