Naga Unity in 70 Years of Dystopia

 Jelle J.P. Wouters, author of In the Shadows of Naga Insurgency, claims that the primary social unit for Nagas was the village. Rarely did Nagas ask about one's tribe when getting to know someone; they would ask, rather, what is your village? and to whose clan do you belong? The rivalry and raids between villages of the same tribe are well known, which is not surprising since there were little or no external threats to the inhabitants of the Naga Hills in the 19th century or earlier (due to the extremely rugged hills). Not even the British could mount sustained, credible threats against most Naga villages.

Now, these last 70 years and more, Naga leaders have argued that the external threat comes from an occupying force wishing to colonize the Naga Hills. If this is true, then those living in the Naga inhabited areas need to identify the unifying essentials to form themselves as a people--no longer on the basis of village, or even of tribe. There must be a pan-tribal unity.

As an outsider who knows a thing or two about societal unity, it is clear to me that there is little to unite the Naga inhabited areas with the Indian union. I understand clearly that GoI's motive is to use the northeast as a geographical buffer against an aggressive Chinese government--as the chicken neck of the Siliguri Pass reveals.

Despite all the GoI talk of Nagas being one with the Indian union, there is little in common between Aryan Indians and the Nagas. Some have even argued that that Nagas have more in common with South Pacific islanders than with mainland Indians. The first time a Naga explained to me the radical difference between Nagas and mainland Indians, he said, "We eat dog." That was perfectly clear to me.

Moreover, it seems nearly impossible for Nagas to integrate into Indian society. First, there is an extreme intolerance for Christianity in the prevailing Hindu society of today. Secondly, all mainland India is wholly smitten by the caste system which not only looks down on Nagas as unclean, but also suppresses any attempt of all those in lower castes to better their social status—this is radically opposed to deeply ingrained Naga democratic commitments. Then there's the extreme reverence of the cow, making it nearly impossible for Nagas to integrate socially with mainland Indians in New Delhi or Kolkata. All this makes my heartbreak whenever I see Naga youth moving to New Delhi or Mumbai for work or education--they'd be better off moving to Kenya or even Egypt.

In light of such social dissonance between Nagas and Aryan Indians, surely there is enough in common between all Nagas to all "hang together" rather than to “hang separately.” Surely this is true despite all the dysfunctionality and dystopia that has arisen in Naga society because of having to live these 70 years in a state of armed and often violent resistance. With unity among all Nagas, and by the grace of God, the possibilities of peace, stability, prosperity, and destiny are endless.