Orchid 2020

THE ST. STEPHEN’S NORTH-EAST SOCIETY

Orchid

Edition V

From the Editor I joined the society in my second year when I agreed to wait for a friend who was taking part in the orientation, I gave my name and number and that was the beginning of a journey what can only be described as enriching. Volunteering for events, joining the editorial team and dancing in Unicolour are some of my fondest memories in college. I am not from the North-East but that was never a barrier for me to form lifelong friendships with other members of the society or actively learn about the region’s diversity, culture, politics, traditions and much more. It soon felt like home, I never felt like an “outsider”.

Sumiran Savant (Editor-in-Chief)

Ivanna A. Sangma (Associate Editor)

Cover photo by Anurag Baruah

ORCHID is published annually for the staff and students of St. Stephen’s College under the North-East Socety of the College

For submissions, contact: nesocjournal. ststephens@gmail.com

In the words of the first editor-in-chief of the journal, S. Lina Poumai, orchid is a flower that singularly represents the North-East as a whole. The annual journal was named Orchid for symbolic and representative reasons, “it is an orchid unto your hands, an orchid as a token of our love and a gift from us”. The journal is an expression of opinions, diversity, political beliefs, art and literature, a way to amplify voices that are often ignored by “mainlanders”. The journal, if nothing else, is an attempt to provide representation and facilitate discussion.

To publish a journal has been a tedious yet great learning experience.

I have become more aware of the region’s social, economic, physical and political landscape, while doing research and interacting with several members of the society. A lot of hard work has gone in making it and I would personally really like to thank the council members who provided great insight into the themes that we covered in the journal. A huge thank you to the editorial team and lastly to the hard-working associate editor, Ivanna as well.

Sumiran Savant

Editorial Team Mehr Gandhi (B.A. History (Hons.)-I) Julie Donngaihlun (B.A. English (Hons.)-I) Dimitri Mallik (B.A. English (Hons.)-I) Keona Johny (B.A. Programme-I) Imcharenla Longchar (B.A History (Hons.)-I) Akumjung I Pongen (B.A. Philosophy (Hons.)-I) Schulu Duo (B.A. Economics (Hons.)-I) Watisen D Aier (B.A. English (Hons.)-II) Swarna Jain (B.A. Philosophy (Hons.)-III)

Artwork representing all the eight North-Eastern states

by Ibadondor Khriam

CONTENTS 18

In Conversation with Easterine Kire

01

President’s Note

02

Inception of the Society

20

Food Recipes to Taste the Flavour of the North-East

05

Resistance in North-East India

23

Understanding Resistence in the NorthEast

08

Undiscovered Gems of the North-Eastern Cinema

24

A Day in the Life of the Eight

10

Ethno-lingual and Cultral affinities of South-East Asia and North-East India

27

Local Festivals of NorthEast India

29

A Glimpse of Society Activities Through the Year

34

Executive Council 2019-2020

12 14 16

Durable Disorder: A Book Review Debunking the Myth of Matriliny Places to Visit on Your Next Holiday

35 Team Orchid

PRESIDENT’S NOTE Repatemsu Jamir B.A. Economics (Hons.) -III

S

ince the country’s independence in 1947, the Northeast region of India has been overrun by various political predicaments.

Having been viewed as a conflict zone and a frontier region which needs to be militarized and controlled, the region is home to numerous insurgent groups. The region is also home to numerous tribes and communities belonging to different ethno-linguistic backgrounds.

All these factors – the diversity and situations - have resulted in a lack of representation and, many a times, misrepresentation of the region in the Nation’s general discourse.

There is no doubt that there exists a geographical, political and cultural disparity between the region and the rest of the country.

Keeping this in mind, the St. Stephen’s Northeast Society was formulated 5 years ago with an aim to bring forward a cultural and social integration between the Northeast and the rest of the country within the college community. It aimed at providing a space where topical concerns about the region could be discussed and share the different cultures and traditional garments of the region not only with the college community but beyond as well. It is an embodiment of the college’s ideal of “Unity in Diversity.”

The T he Society holds numerous activities throughout the year. Over the years, the Society has seen active participation in its various activities from students, not only from the Northeast but also from different communities across the country. The Society’s annual cultural celebration, Unicolour, has seen numerous students participating in the cultural song and dance performances where people get a chance to experience the diverse cultures and the traditional attire of the region.

1

The annual Northeast Lunch is also a favourite among students and faculty alike, where they get a chance to experience a scrumptious thali representing dishes from all the eight states of the Northeast. Talks and panel discussions have also provided a space to discuss and learn about the different ideas and issues pertaining to the region. The annual Journal, Orchid, is another platform where we document stories and articles about the region. The Society has also collaborated with other societies in the college such as the Poetry society, Quiz Club, Informal discussion Group, Gender Study Cell and various other societies over the past few years.

I am proud to say that the Society has so far been successful in realizing its objective of narrowing the gap that exists between people from the Northeast and ‘main-land’ India through its various activities and collaborations. It is true that there is much more work that can be done and there is always room for growth. Therefore, it is my hope for the Society that we will continue to strive harder and bring about a positive impact in the college sphere and beyond.

Inception of the St. Stephen’s North-East Society It is with much joy and pleasure that I write this memoir – joy because this is the 5th Edition of the Orchid, confirming how far the St. Stephen’s North-East Society has reached; and pleasure because memories of the NE Society have always remained the most significant memories of my time in Stephen’s. I would like to congratulate the editorial team for yet another edition of the Orchid and all who have contributed in making the Society an integral part of Stephania, both in the past and in the present.

About four and half years ago, on the 4th of December 2015, what had only been an idea became a reality when the erstwhile Principal, Rev. Dr. Valson Thampu gave us a provisional approval (subject to final approval of bye-laws which was granted the next month) to our proposal to form a north-east society in the College. Prior to the submission of our proposal, the idea had been much deliberated among a few undergrad and post-grad students.

What’s in a Name?

The name of the society itself, as subtle as it is, required much deliberation – ‘North-East Students’ Society’? ‘North-East Forum’?

‘North-East Cell’? ‘North-East Society’? To understand how we finally decided on a name, I think it is essential to delve into the context.

A few colleges in the neighbourhood had had ‘North-East Cells’ during that time. But these ‘cells’ were not exactly student-led societies; rather they were committee-like bodies created by their respective administrations to address the various grievances ostudents from the North-East, cre-

ated as per the instruction from the University authorities (in the aftermath of the unfortunate Nido Tania incident that took place).

With the changing political atmosphere in the country around that time, issues concerning the NE tended to wear a political tinge. But the genesis of a north-east society in our College had different roots.

It was not directly related to such incidents or politics of homogenization. Ours was conceived before these incidents happened. It was conceived by students from within, exposed to the plethora of opportunities provided by the College, and from within the boundaries of the ‘red-bricks’ comprising of students from various backgrounds, cultures and regions of the country open to dialogue and celebrating. As one of the founding members of the Society, I would like to briefly mention how this came about for me.

A few months into College in 2013, the feeling of experiencing Stephania for me was one of awe and admiration which led me into thinking of how I could make best use of it. I vividly remember sitting one afternoon in the College Hall attending a society event wherein the hall-packed event was graced by acclaimed speakers seated on the stage behind a table upon which was laid a sheet-cover that had the College Crest distinctly embroidered on it. It was at that very moment my mind wandered off into the pleasures of imagination: about how I wish to see these same students (who will one day hold key positions in govt, media, politics, entertainment, business, etc), sitting in front of that same table and that same Crest, in the 2

same Hall, discuss, debate and deliberate on a topic that concerns the North-East India. That, for me, was the day the seed of a north-east society was planted in my mind. Indeed, College had already given us many platforms to discuss various issues, be it issues concerning NE India or other parts of the country. However, North-East in itself is a highly diverse region and I felt that a society solely dedicated to the region was necessary to satisfactorily and persuasively address issues concerning the region and extensively explore its cultures. I then spoke about these thoughts to a few friends in College who also shared similar thoughts and vision. It took us nearly 3 more years to gain experience and confidence and finally frame a formal proposal for the formation of a society. After a meeting at the Principal’s office and with his inputs, the society came to be called ‘The St. Stephen’s North-East Society’; not ‘NE Students’ Society’ because it was not intended to be a society consisting only of NE students; not ‘NE Forum’ because it was meant to be more than a forum; and definitely not ‘NE Cell’.

Mess Lawns: Our ‘Amphitheatre’

I have mentioned earlier about how it took us nearly 3 years from the conception of the Society to its realization. The two or so years that ensued after the seed of NE Society had been planted in our minds were of crucial importance, mainly because they gave us time to experiment. We wanted to test the response of students – both from within the NE region as well as those from other regions – to aa cultural event solely dedicated

to the NE. I will ever be grateful to friends from the Spic Macay Chapter of College who agreed to help us organize the first ever North-East cultural event in College as part of Spic Macay’s ‘Goshthi’ in January, 2015. They even agreed to our proposal of naming the event ‘Unicolour’ (which would later become the Society’s Annual Cultural Fest).

The amazing response of students to the event – from the involvement of many volunteers to the awe-inspired crowd of students that filled the Mess Lawn – confirmed that the College was ready to have a NE Society.

There could not have been a better spot in College than the Mess Lawn to showcase the mesmerizing bamboo dance performed by our very own students; thereafter, students from all parts of India would sign up, making sure they do not miss the chance to learn and perform the bamboo dance at every opportunity the NE Society would later provide.

Soon enough, this event made the grand Inaugural of the Society possible when Dr. Thampu struck the

traditional Gong to mark the launch of the Society. It was followed by the unfurling of the Society logo down from the lofty heights of the Mess Hall. That joyous day concluded with the Thabal Chongba (a popular Manipuri folk dance) in which everyone at the venue joined in with gaiety in celebration of what, according to me, was one of the most significant moments in the history of the College.

For Every Stephanian

I am delighted to hear about how the Society has grown to become more inclusive and whose events raise much excitement among all in the College. Inclusivity was the very founding principle of the Society and that was what the College taught us. It was never meant to evoke regionalism or division; it was never meant to promote uniformity (among the NE States) but to celebrate unity in diversity. The Society was meant to be the College’s very own and for every student of the College from all regions of the country, not so as to appropriate cultures

but to preserve while promoting them. Lastly yet primarily, while being a society that is dynamic and not static in its structure and endeavor with changing times, it was meant to build better equipped Stephanians who would be able to make impactful contributions for the region and for the nation at large from various positions of influence with a deeper understanding of the region that the Society provides through talks, discussions and cultural events. I wish the best for the current and future batches in their pursuit of presenting as well as discovering India’s North-East through the Society!

Ad Dei Gloriam!

Khamrosang Buhril Class of 2016 Founding President, The St. Stephen’s North-East Society

Principal Rev. Dr. Valson Thampu striking the traditional gong to mark the launch of The St. Stephen’s North-East Society 3

Artwork by Ivanna A. Sangma 4

Resistance in the North-East: A Ground Report Assam The 11th of December, 2019 began as a usual day for most of us in Guwahati. There was news that a ‘bandh’ might be imposed as the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was to be placed before the Rajya Sabha.

Bandhs in Assam is nothing surprising. However, no one was ready for what unfolded.

At the office, the hot topic of discussion was the possibility of the Bill’s passage, and the serious consequences it would have for the State. Around 11:30 am, as the protests began, we saw a large group of protesters march towards the Assam Secretariat. Our cell phones began flooding with news of protesters gathering on the streets.

Stepping out of my office, to get a first-hand glimpse of the unfolding events, I saw angry protesters block the road with burning tyres. Everyone was warned of the danger of the protests spiralling into violence and asked to get inside. By 4:00 pm, we began receiving news of clashes between protesters and security forces. All our fears seemed to have come true.

As the sun set, we found ourselves trapped in our office. The violence could be seen right outside, on the streets. Guwahati was slowly turning into a war zone. There was no possibility of taking a vehicle out, so we decided to escape on foot. The walk home was the most nerve-racking I had ever experienced. Every alleyway was ablaze with blockades of burning tyres.

On reaching home, we got news that the Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill. To make matters worse, an in

definite curfew was imposed across Assam, with a city-wide internet blockade in Guwahati.

The next few days, life came to a standstill for every Guwahatian.

Without internet access, there was no way of knowing what was happening outside or within the state.

Stepping out of our residences was too risky; the situation on the ground continued to be hostile.

Any news could only be received through phone calls from friends and family residing outside Assam.

By the 14th of December, the curfew, though not revoked, had been lifted for a couple hours. Commuting had become a major issue as transport services were hit. I finally got some idea of the situation on reaching my workplace as broadband connections were restored for a few hours. The horrors were real.

The state was in disarray. It would take days for normalcy to resume.

However, no one could ignore the atrocities committed.

Sadly, it took only three days for five deaths of agitators to occur reportedly due to police firing. The most heart-breaking was the death of 17-year-old Sam Stafford, a student, shot through the mouth trying to escape the police crackdown on a gathering. Another, 19-yearold Dipanjal Das, succumbed to bullet wounds. Over 1,400 protesters were detained across Assam.

Nevertheless, the unity of the Assamese people was in full display.

The true spirit of the movement was demonstrated through peaceful agitations. There was also unnecessary hooliganism by vandals 5

who never understood the true essence of the Assamese community’s movement.

Though the epicentre of the agitation was Assam, a sad reality is that a greater media attention came only after the movement acquired a ‘communal context’. Unlike other protesting regions, Assam did not follow this ‘communal’ divide. A reflection in time is important to understand the Assamese community’s motives.

For decades, Assam has been burdened by an influx of illegal immigrants. With over three million from Bangladesh residing along the Brahmaputra Valley, the region is struggling to manage its fast depleting resources. Under-development and years of neglect by the Centre have made it increasingly difficult for the state to handle the massive influx.

While the Assamese people are criticised, using terms like ‘xenophobic’, Assam’s demographic scenario must be understood. The fear of loss of ethnicity and culture is present among communities across the country. However, no state has experienced this loss as much as Assam and Tripura have. In statistical terms, illegal Bangladeshi migrants make up almost 30% of Assam’s population. The ethnic Assamese population has fallen to 49% (figures exclude Assamese tribals and non-Assamese Indians residing in Assam).

The protests has a context of the Assam Accord signed by the Government of India and leaders of the Assam Movement in 1985. Under

this agreement, illegal immigrants, ‘irrespective of their religion’, who had entered the state after 1971 were not to be granted citizenship. The year 1971 is significant: during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, around ten million Bangladeshis began migrating out of Bangladesh. This was the largest displacement of people seen after Partition in 1947. More than half sought shelter in Assam. Land in Assam had become scarce. The Assamese and other tribal groups feared loss of their holdings. This demographic transformation generated linguistic, cultural and political insecurity amongst the Assamese, imparting a strong emotional context to their movement in the 1970s and ’80s.

Critics must realise that the Assam M ovement of the ’70s and ’80s was not based on a communal divide but forged out of the need to protect an identity. Though various political organizations have been trying for years to plant the seed of religious divide, it has not been allowed to grow. Assam houses various ethnic groups other than the original Assamese inhabitants.

There has been no issue with other citizens of the country settling in the state. However, it seems unfair for a single region to handle such large influx of illegitimate migrants.

The CAA has completely disregarded the agreements of the Assam Accord. It is evident where the Centre would plan to settle newly invited migrants. All that Assam has demanded is a balance in handling this mass intrusion.

To conclude, it is fitting to quote the Turkish proverb: “The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because its handle was made of wood, he was one of them.”

-Uday Guha Sircar Batch of 2019

Meghalaya Amidst the fiery protests across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, flashing all over the media, a protest rally with a crowd of tens-of-thousands was held in Shillong, Meghalaya. I was part of this crowd (for the love of my country, my region and my constitution), earnestly shouting slogans against this imperious bill, now an act. But my company of protesters and I seemed to be on another frequency; while we vehemently shouted against the CAA, the crowd was equally energetic about the ILP (Inner Line Permit).

This was how the protest shaped up along the way to Raj Bhawan.

Outside Raj Bhawan, the crowd was massive: women, old men, representatives from all over the state, eagerly awaiting the next move. The pressure groups calling for the protest were atop a jeep, giving speeches inaudible a 100 metres away. The crowd was restless. The leaders of the pressure groups were adamant about meeting the Governor. The crowd was pilling up towards the Governors’ front gate, guarded by local police who were shaken at its sight. A good two hours were spent on speeches by several activists. Eventually, as expected, violence broke out. A few people tried climbing the Raj Bhawan’s walls.

The police retaliated with a lathi charge. The crowd pushed harder.

Tear bombs were fired to disperse it. It moved back, leaving women and a few men injured in the stampede. A car was burnt near the location 10 minutes later. The crowd dispersed immediately but days of instability in the state followed: bandhs, curfew, a volatile public.

This huge protest saw no progress made along the lines of the CAA, but forced the legislative assembly to file a resolution with absolute 6

majority for the implementation of ILP (which is causing a divide amongst the people).

Many people criticised the protest saying “the crowd was blinded by a sense of blind regionalism, and a group of social organisations serving their agenda”. The criticisms make sense but these social organisations serve a purpose in society and have worked towards its betterment in several instances.

I personally feel the protest should have forced the government to reject CAA in our state. If there is one criticism I have, it is that the protest lacked the participation of educated students, the future of the country. The educated youth, particularly in my state, fail to turn up to protest in the streets even if they oppose the issue whole-heartedly. I appeal to all students to stand up for what they think is right.

The future is ours, let’s shape it.

-Bansharailang Pyngrope

Contributor: Mehr Gandhi, B.A. History (Hons)- I

Artwork by Charmaine Sawain

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Undiscovered Gems of the North-Eastern Cinema 1. Bulbul Can Sing (2018) Assam Winner of the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese at India’s 66th National Film Awards, Bulbul Can Sing is a movie that revolves around the lives of three teenagers trying to come into terms with their sexual identities.

Battling social mores and customs, they try to find themselves in the haze of social expectation and peer pressure.

This movie has received critical acclaim, Rotten Tomatoes rating this movie a 100%. The Director, Rima Das, has won the 2019 Dublin International Film Festival for Best Director.

It is available on Netflix.

2. NEFA 1953 – The Hidden War (2018) Arunachal Pradesh “Our ancestors’ soul is inhabited in this mountain. So, that is why we have to take care of it.”

Inspired a real event that happened to one of the villages in Arunachal Pradesh, the films depicts the fight for their land and the sacrifice for love.

It deals with various themes such as nature-worship, tribal mores and customs and their fight against the army to safeguard and preserve their traditions. The tension between nature and culture is aptly brought up in the conflict between the tribal people and the army.

Contributor: Akumjung I Pongen B.A. Philosophy (Hons)-I 8

3.Onaatah:Of the Earth (2016) Meghalaya Winner of the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Khasi, Onaatah: Of the Earth is a movie about a young woman and her quest to find healing after a traumatic assault, her journey to a small village in the hills where she finds hope, love and a new purpose.

Directed by Pradip Kurbah, it stars Sweety Pala, Merlvin Mukhim and Richard Kharpuri.

It is available on Netflix

4. Nana – A Tale of Us (2017) Nagaland A film about politics, family and friendship, Nana – A Tale of Us raises various social issues pertaining to the prevalent corruption of the state and the need to reform and spread awareness of the leaders that the people choose.

It made a grand international debut at the 2nd Edinburgh Festival of Indian Films and Documentaries (EDIFD), Scotland’s biggest showcase of the best in new and classic Indian Cinema. Director Taikumzuk Aier won the prestigious Golden Calton award for Best Director. According to film critic Dr Piyush, Nana is one of the finest films to come out of India in 2017.

5.Ralang Road (2017) Sikkim The movie goes on to chronicle the rising tension between the locals of the Sikkimese community and the outsiders, with the narrative constantly taking unusual twists and turns, shedding light on cultural immigration and the coming together of different lifestyles in a complex social setup.

National Award winning sound artist Christopher Burchell hailing from the Film and Technology Institute of India (FTII) has provided the background score for Ralang Road. The movie was also shortlisted for Karlovy Vary International Film Festival -a film festival held annually in Czech Republic- in 2017. It was directed by Karma Takapa.

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Ethno-Lingual and Cultral Affinities of Southeast Asia and Northeast India Thungchanbeni Kithan Department of History & Archaeology, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus Southeast Asia increasingly attracts the attention of scholars as an important focal point of human cultural achievements, serving as the source region for some of the most remarkable racial intermingling and population dispersals in human history. The majority of today’s Southeast Asian population is made up of the Austronesians(The Austronesian-speaking people, are a large group peoples in Taiwan, Island Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar) and many of the tribal people of North-east India are apparently migrants from different regions of Southeast Asia and may be classified as belonging to this racial stock in large proportions, and some to the Austroasiatic from mainland countries. In this partially hazy racial and lingual context some of the most interesting linkages between Southeast Asia and the indigenous inhabitants of the North-Eastern region of India may find its antecedents for its remote and obscure past.

Southeast Asia lies between the two great civilisations - India and China, which have considerably influenced it culturally from ancient times, bringing Hinduism and Buddhism into an animist world. Early writers and travellers referred to the region as ‘Indo-China’, ‘Indo-Chinese peninsula’ and ‘East Indies’; the term ‘Southeast Asia’ emerged later during the Second World War, with Southeast Asian Allied Command’s establishment at Ceylon, set

up to stem the Japanese onslaught.

Today, it represents a remarkable array of peoples and cultures across two geographical divisions - the mainland Southeast Asia consisting Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia; and the Maritime Southeast Asian countries - the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, east Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and East Timor.

Southeast Asia is the ideal ‘Anthropologist’s paradise’. It holds significance in world prehistory as one of the first areas of human inhabitation outside Africa, with the discovery of the fossil remains of the earliest known form of human, popularly known as the Java man, near Trinil Village in Central Java. The Java men settled around 1.5 million years ago at Java and throughout the Indo-Chinese peninsula up to North China, where remains of a similar, though more advanced Peking man were found.

Fast forward a million years, the modern humans in Australia confirmed with findings in Malaysia and the Philippines dating back to 40,000 years ago that the human population of Southeast Asia at that time resembled Australians and Melanesians (subregion of Oceania). Many Southeast Asian ethno-linguistic groups of today entered the region 5,000 years ago as the first agricultural population.

500 years later, these hunters-gatherers developed subsistence economy/ farming, and started building 10

sedentary settlements, while many continued their nomadic existence. The Indonesians were the last group to enter Southeast Asia in the prehistoric times between 2500 and 1500 BC, and they often settled along coastal areas. Their descendants form the basic population of Southeast Asia and Northeast India.

In Northeast India, the last impactful wave of migration took place in the thirteenth century, with the arrival of a branch of the Shan tribe of Burma in the Brahmaputra Valley under the Tai Ahom General Shu-ka-pha’s leadership, who later established and ruled over the Ahom Kingdom in Assam till the annexation of the Northeast by the British Colonisers after the Treaty of Yandaboo 1826. The descent of early South-East Asian races in the NorthEast is visible in the Mongoloid and Indonesian/ Austronesian features, and certain fusions of Melanesian and the Negrito strand in some tribal communities like the Naga tribes and Garos, though much inter-racial fusion and synthesis has taken place.

The aboriginal Northeast Indian tribes, like other South-Asian communities, lived as compact nomadic kinship groups subsisting on hunting, fishing, food gathering, and acquired the knowledge of shifting cultivation and wet rice cultivation from the more advanced communities in low lying and coastal areas from the 1st century CE. Austronesian and Austroasiatic were the dominant lingual groups that initiated migration across SouthEast Asia and beyond as cultivators.

In-depth tracking of human evolu

tion, appearance, and lingual genesis of today’s inhabitants of Southeast Asia has become necessary in analysing migration and racial affinities of the natives of Northeast India, since definite cultural similarities indicate population derivation from various waves of migration from Southeast Asia at different prehistoric periods.

Its speakers belong to the Sino-Tibetan/ Tibeto-Burman speech family, except Khasis and Jaintias who belong to the early Mon-Khmer speech group. Mon-Khmer speakers had arrived early into the region perhaps from Cambodia and Pegu, and they can be traced in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills; certain tracts of upper Burma; coastal regions of Martaban in Linguistically, the Austronesians lower Burma; the Nicobar Islands. colonized over the Southeast Asian Island, erasing the earlier languages.

Other outstanding socio-cultural Only limited languages have sur- characteristics connecting Northvived in the Halmahera region and East India’s indigenous societies the Eastern lesser Sundas of West with Southeast Asia are: wooden/ Papua. The Mainland Southeast Asia bamboo houses built on posts and represents a much more complex piles; domestication of animal; commosaic of different language fami- mon sleeping houses for unmarlies. The spread of early languages ried young men (but in Northeast within this family,viz., Mon, Khmer India, there are separate sleeping and Vietnamese renders its signif- houses for girls too); head hunting icant position. According to his- practices; funerary customs; tattootorical accounts, the spreads of Tai ing by pricking; absence of pow(Daic) language particularly, Thai, erful political organisations; betel Lao and the Hmong-Mien languag- chewing; similar marriage customs; es together with Burmese are com prevalence of matrilineal societies paratively recent, originating prob- (Chams in Southeast Asia, Minangably from Yunnan (Tai) in south- kabau in Indonesia, Garo, Khasi and ern China, and Hmong Mien Jaintias in Northeast India); long from Middle Yangtze in Chi- houses accommodating a whole na. Almost all of the present-day village (Dyaks of Borneo, Toradja, Northeast Indians belong to the Sakai in Malaya); cultivation methIndo-Mongoloid linguistic family. ods - jhum cultivation, wet rice cul

tivation and terrace farming; staple food like rice, maize, millet, yam, chilli, soybean; traditional costumes with ornaments made of coral beads, carnelian and agate beads, ivory etc; simple loom for weaving garments; production of cotton, natural yarns/dyes; basketry, woodworks and pottery; knowledge of iron and brass works; use of log drums by the Northeastern hill tribes (still existing in almost every Naga Village) resembles the canoes/ rafts eked out from single logs during migrations by primitive sea faring kinship groups.

The commonality of origin and cultural affinity between the indigenous inhabitants of Northeast India with Southeast Asia poses a remarkable study. The rationale behind this brief article is to make a feeble attempt in developing the interest of upcoming young intellectuals on a topic often overlooked.

The Northeastern aborigines were surviving as isolated communities till British Imperialism took over in the nineteenth century, giving the first script and began documentation. In this process many of the traditional culture and customs of a remote past may have been lost.

Notes and References DGE Hall, A History of South–East Asia, Macmillan Press LTD, 1981, London, pp. 3-11 Richard Allen, A Short Introduction to the History & Politics of Southeast Asia, Oxford University Press, 1969, London, pp. 4-10 Brian Harrison, South-East Asia: A Short History, Macmillan & Co.1966, pp. 1-8 Ian Glover and Peter Bellwood (eds), Southeast Asia: From Prehistory to History, Routledge Curzon, 2004, London & New York, pp. 4-27 R.A Blust, The Prehistory of the Austronesian – Speaking Peoples: A View From Language, 1995, Journal of World Prehistory, pp. 453- 510 R.Lee and R. Daly (eds), The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gatherers, 1999, Cambridge University Press, pp. 3-40 Nicholas Tarling (ed), The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, Vol. 1,1999, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp. 55-110 11

Durable Disorder: Understanding the Politics of Northeast India

by Sanjib Baruah

A Book Review by Dimitri Mallik “Yet our debates appear to be stuck on a which came first: chicken or the egg kind of a controversy on whether the security forces, or the insurgents bear the responsibility for the sorry state of human rights, or whether the Indian army, or the insurgents are the worse violators, or on whether the region’s fledgling human rights groups have a pro-insurgent basis. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act specially designed for the Northeast and that has remained in force for decades- despite popular protests- makes serious violations of human rights possible…Northeast India’s informal governance structure seem to have more in common with some weak and failing states of Africa than with the powerful Indian state…”

The book ‘Durable Disorder : Understanding the Politics of Northeast India’ is a call for a critical engagement with India’s Northeast policy keeping in mind Mrinal Miri’s admonition that the idea of a nation having a policy towards a part of itself is odd (Miri,2002). Not only does the book invite us to perceive the region’s political troubles outside the clichéd paradigm of insurgency, but also the underlying causes of the mushrooming of a myriad of ethnic militias ranging from the widely known United Liberation Font of Assam to the Karbi and Zomi Revolutionary Volunteers.

The first essay explores the Northeast as a category stating that it has been perceived as such since a radical redrawing of the region’s political map in the 1960s, an upshot of a hurried exercise in political engineering aiming to manage the independentist rebellions among the Nagas and the Mizos, and to nip in the bud, radical political mobilization among other discontented ethnic groups. The term ‘Northeast India’ has also been construed as of interest to political engineers because such generic place names evoke no historical memory or collective consciousness unlike those in regional languages, having an emotional focus, cultural or historical memory. While hoping that the term might one day be incorporated into a place making strategy of an oppositional political project, it explores the extraordinary number of militias in Northeast India (Manipur

topping the list with 35, Assam -34, Meghalaya3, etc). The essay highlights the complexities of lumping together militias of different levels of organizational strength and political influence.

The second essay titled ‘ Nationalizing Space: Cosmetic Federalism and the Politics of Development’ initiates a discourse on the possibilities of Arunachal Pradesh following anything other than a conventional developmentalist trajectory while facing the endeavour of nationalizing the frontier space to sustain its fragile yet intact mega bio diversity. The essay talks about the changing face of northeast India and the provision for administration in the tribal areas in conjunction with how the war in China in 1962 exposed India’s vulnerabilities in Assam. In the third essay the author explores the situation of the insurgents in Manipur, tries to link up the question of appointing generals as governors of frontier areas and how far it helps towards integrating the nation. A governor is often seen as a Centre’s lynchpin in state domain and the general democratic experience with regard to 12

the position of Governor in free India has been rather mixed. In a federal state with a unitary bias like India, the position of Governor assumes great significance and in the troubled community of Northeast it assumes an even larger role. How far would the policy go towards integrating the nation is something that the author questions. A case in point is Lt Gen SK Sinha who was Assam’s Governor during the troubled “ULFA”(United Liberation Front of Assam) era. SK Sinha is credited with bringing mainstream Assamese society into the cultural discourse of Indian narrative while ensuring that Gopinath Bordoloi, the first Chief Minister of Assam received the Bharat Ratna.It was part of the Governors three divided strategies which aimed at ending insurgency in Assam.

The jury is still out as to how much success this the Governor achieved nevertheless it is indeed an example of how vital Generals are as Governors in the fractured state of Northeast India.

Continuing with the focus on Assam, in the next essay the author has illustrated how present clash of resources among communities of Assam can be viewed from a colonial historical perspective. When tea was first grown in Assam, it set the cash registers of the London stock exchange ringing and there was a mad scamper of land for tea gardens and other commercial agricultural enterprises typical of colonial projects.

Yet such commercial enterprises didn’t bring any benefit for the local population of the state and when India became a free nation, Assam continued to be a colonial experiment with vast strips of land continuing to be under tea cultivation resulting in actue land crisis. Section five of Baruah’s work containing essays six, seven and eight are exclusively dedicated to the state of Assam and the United Liberation Front of Assam in which he discusses the concept of nationalism and subnationalism and tries to highlight its significance within the Northeast as a region and within Indian society. He explains that the idea of subnationalism is essential since different ethnicities built up their own sense of nationhood, not bounded by physical, national or state borders. These ideologies contribute to the persistent ethnic and communal conflicts in the Northeast and in India.

Section five of Durable Disorder deals with the policies of the Indian state and its attempts to include all of the Northeast into a general Indian political mindset, but also shows that the policies enacted are rather treated as an ‘invitation to violence’ as Baruah calls it. The epilogue es

tablishes some excellent ideas on the imperative concept of ‘Look East Policy’. This theme might have been better run throughout the entire book and not attached just to the epilogue since this seems to be a major concern in recent times when researching the Northeast and India.

Throughout his work Baruah establishes the Northeast as a backward region which is economically, politically and socially underdeveloped but only in the epilogue does he offer resolutions. He accentuates that the Look East Policy has the potential of becoming Northeast India’s road to peace and prosperity, which is questionable if the Indian government is not capable of providing security and peace within its own country.

Baruah’s book is a valuable contribution to the research of the political situation in the Northeast with all the issues and challenges it creates to the Indian government and to the people living in these states.

Overall, the author creates a careful discussion and analysis of the situation and possible ways to resolve the conflicts by attempting to bridge the gap between the ‘mainland’ understanding of Northeast which is often clouded by a military and security perception, and the colourful imagination of the Northeast.

Eventually the Northeast has to play a “transnational” and a major role in India’s Look East policy and it is towards this objective and framework that the Northeast must be placed in policy discourses so as to bridge the gap with the rest of the nation. However, the book needs more flow in its major themes of formal and informal structures of governance of the existing parallel regime, their coefficients and the resultant erosion of the democratic fibre of the region and the way it connects the essays. Nevertheless, Durable Disorder presents a good introduction to the complicated and thorny subject matter of the Northeast for the unacquainted reader and dispels the almost overbearing lack of grass root research and complementary abundance of conjectural postulates in ‘India Against Itself’ by the same author.

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Places to visit on Your Next Holiday SIKKIM

MIZORAM

Singhore Bridge, Bridge connecting two gorges on the west of Sikkim, it stands as the highest bridge in Sikkim and the second highest bridge in the Asian continent, the bridge stands 100 meters atop, a little ways from Pelling town.

The sight from the bridge is breath-taking as the vision of beautiful waterfalls and overwhelming views of the lush green hills please the eyes. Apart form the months of July and August the bridge is open for visitors all year around from 6 am to 6 pm. An Alpine cheese factory lies a short walk away from the bridge and is an excellent spot for sampling cheese.

Rih Dil (Rih Lake), Lake) situated a mere two miles for the boundary river between Mizoram and Myanmar, the river flows within the village area of Rihkhawdar, a village established in adventure that draws visitors to investigate and venture the beautiful yet allegedly a demon-haunted lake. A lake around which myths and cultural has taken root, the name of the lake Rih comes from the name Rihi that belonged to a young girl who is believed to have taken the form of the lake. It has a heart shaped outline and is a mile in length and runs about 60 feet deep.

MEGHALAYA

NAGALAND

Krang Suri falls is amongst the most scenic waterfalls of Dzüleke a safe haven around 40 km from Kohima, the Dzüleke, Meghalaya. Located about 87 kms from Shillong in the capital of the state. The small village is occupied by the district of West Jaintia Hills, it is blessed with shimmerpeople of the Angami tribe and is a hot spot for rare ing blue waters and picturesque greenery and big rocks. animal sightings, the village is also famous for its fishing To reach the waterfall one must walk alongside the spots and terrain accommodating to activities such as border of the mountains on narrow gravelled pathways. hiking and trekking. The gun and games are not all, the This makes the trip to the Krang Suri falls an even more village grows open home gardens for fresh pickings any thrilling experience. Visitors can make their trip even time and season, the culture of the Angami people is also more memorable by taking a plunge in the pool below celebrated as the visitors experience life through their the waterfall and spending the night camping under livelihood, food, crockery and traditional games the below stars. The best time to visit here would be the monsoon season

MANIPUR

ASSAM

Nehemia Prayer Mountain, constructed by one of the oldest and fastest growing prayer ministries in North East India. The prayer mountain overlooks the town of Churachandpur, a Kuki village, presenting a picturesque view from the east of the town. The prayer mountain stands on a small hill top with prayer cabins clustered around the mountain. Now a popular refuge for lost souls the prayer mountain is used by all denominations alike from other parts of the world.

Umananda Island, Island it is the smallest river island in the Brahmaputra. The island can be reached via a 10 minute ferry from Umananda Ghat near the Guwahati Highcourt.

The word uma is another name for the Goddess Parvati and ananda for happiness in Assamese, according to mythology, Shiva created the island for his wife Parvati’s happiness and pleasure. The festival Maha Shivaratri is widely celebrated in Umananda with Monday’s as the holiest day on the temple. The island is home to golden langurs and is dotted with tamarind trees.

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

TRIPURA

Bomdila, it is a high mountain pass above the sea level and the headquarters of the West Kameng district and offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan terrain with it’s snow-covered mountains. It provides an escape from the virtual tourist invasion prevalent in other destinations and is known for its scenic environs. The area is famous for apple orchards and provides tourists a peaceful and exciting walk through them. The area around Bomdila is also a hotspot for trekking and hiking trails located in small towns not far from Bomdila.

Unakoti literally means one less than a crore (10 million).

The place has hundreds o massive rock-cut sculptures and those made sandstone, besides the scattered ruins of ancient temples make Unakoti a unique place. 8 km from the sub-divisional headquarters of Kailasahwar town, it bears no resemblance to any other place Iin the country.

This site is associated with numerous legends and myths and the people in the region revere it as holy. Among the rock-cut sculptures is a 33-ft-high bust of Lord Shiva. It includes an 11-ft-high headgear which is now partly broken. The bust is the central figure in the complex and is locally called Unakotiswara

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Contributor: Watisen Aier B.A Engliish(Hons)-II 14

Krang Suri Falls Photo by Ivanna A. Sangma 15

Debunking the Myth of Matriliny Written by: Andrea Bazeley A. Sangma Masters Student of Sociology & Social Anthropology Tata Institute of Social Sciences The Matrilineal Structure of the Khasis and Garos of Meghalaya The state of Meghalaya is home to three major tribes – Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo, all of whom practice the matrilineal system of descent and lineage. In a matrilineal society, descent and lineage is traced through the mother’s bloodline.

There is a common perception that matrilineal societies are egalitarian. Several scholars and researchers nurture rosy pictures of Meghalaya - a society where, they have heard, women are ‘the bosses.’ There is no doubt that women in the matrilineal societies of Meghalaya have comparatively better security and support systems than their counterparts in patrilineal societies – one where descent is reckoned through males. However, they are not entirely free from subordination. Several examples suggest that even in matrilineal societies, while descent through the mother gives women a fair degree of autonomy and influence, it does not guarantee their liberation from gender subordination. There is a hierarchy on various levels that reinforces gender discrimination in very subtle ways.

To better understand such discrimination, some of the fundamental elements that make up the Khasi and Garo matrilineal social structures are discussed as follows: Kinship Organisation: A distinctive feature of the Khasi kinship organisation is the existence of the iing iing.. Etymologically, the word iing refers both to the dwelling unit and the members of the immediate family who descended from a common ancestress. According to this conception, the iing is not only a residential unit within which the mundane tasks of production, consumption, and reproduction are carried out, it is also the centre of family rituals. The iing is focused around the mother. Its existence rests on the sibling unity

and the cooperation of the youngest daughter (ka khadduh) khadduh) and the elder brother who exercises control and authority over the affairs of the iing.

Another distinctive feature of the Khasi kinship organisation is the clan - the kur. The kur is an exogamous unit of matrilineally related kin, which provides group identity to its members.

The membership of a kur crucial as it provides a person with an identity. The clan is responsible for regulating marriages and provides the basis of family and religious organisation. The clan has a special significance for the women as perpetuation of the clan is affected through the female.

It is for this reason that it is emphasised that women get married, produce children and incorporate them in the clan to ensure its continuity.

The Garos are the second-largest tribe in Meghalaya after the Khasis and comprise about a third of the local population. The Garos, like that Khasis, are a matrilineal and matri-local people. A noteworthy aspect of the Garos is the existence of clans known as mahari mahari.. Clan affiliation is determined through the mother and lineage is drawn from the mahari. The clan is based on the belief that all members of the clan are related through blood in the female line.

The clan is the basic unit of intimate social, economic and, to some extent, political relationships. All marriages are settled by the mahari.

U Kni and U Kpa: Although women are central in the organisation of the clan and lineage, authority within a Khasi household is divided between two men: the mother’s brother, u kni, and the father, u kpa. kpa. Although the u kni is the head of the house, the father is the executive head of his home. Thus, a male has dual responsibility. As the u kni, kni, a man controls his ancestral property and acts as the counsellor and guide of his sister and her children in religious and other matters; as the

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u kpa, a man is the provider and guardian of his wife and children. Among the Garos, the maternal uncle is known as the mama. In ideal terms, such an arrangement appears to be advantageous to women. However, men’s dual responsibility often creates a role conflict and their loyalty gets divided between their natal and conjugal families.

In such situations, the full responsibility of meeting the needs of the family falls on the woman.

Ka khadduh and the nokna: nokna: According to the matrilineal principle, property is transmitted strictly from mother to daughter. Among the Khasis, the youngest daughter, known as ka khadduh, inherits the ancestral property. Elder daughters may be given some share of the parent’s self-acquired property, though this varies from family to family.

As the youngest daughter inherits the ancestral property, she must remain in the original home to maintain the continuity of the parental household.

The Garos select their most preferred daughter, not necessarily the youngest, to inherit ancestral property. This daughter is known as the nokna. She stays permanently is her natal household even after her marriage and is expected to look after the property and her parents, along with her husband. If there are no daughters to inherit the property, a woman may ask one of her nieces in adoption and they are obligated to agree. In the absence of such a relative, any girl from the extended matrilineal clan is adopted.

The fact that daughters inherit ancestral property neither gives them authority nor ownership of the property. The actual management is in the hands of the brothers and uncles, and the father is to be consulted. Family property cannot be sold off without the knowledge and consent of the uncles and brothers. To the outside world, the khadduh and the nokna appear to be powerful heiresses who, because of their wealth, have all the bargaining space they require. But the reality is different. The khadduh and the nokna are as much prisoners of gender biases as in other societies. As far as ancestral property is concerned, they are only a titular head. Responsibilities towards parents and family forces the khadduh and the nokna to forego opportunities for better educational and employment prospects outside the state or country.

The Garos practice the law of akim. Under this law, on the death of a spouse, a relative – either a male or female, as the case may be – is given in marriage to the widow or widower to ensure continuity in the inheritance of property within the principal clan. This law, however, has adverse effects. When a suitable adult relative of the deceased is not found, children are often forced into marrying the survivor, which is a violation of child rights. This law is also disadvantageous for both genders as the widow or widower may not want to re-marry but the law solicits remarriage into the same clan of the deceased spouse.

The practice of cross-cousin marriage is common among the Garos. This involves marrying one’s father’s sister’s son. A nokna is often bound to get into such a marriage. In the absence of such a relative, she can marry anyone from her father’s clan.

Such a practice is disadvantageous to the nokna as it limits her freedom in the choice of a spouse.

However, the nokna is allowed to marry into another clan on the understanding that her successor will marry into the original clan or mahari.

One mahari may, thus, have continuous control over the property of another mahari through the nokna. This practice can also be considered problematic as ‘the successor of the nokna’, often an unborn child, is already subject to limitations or restrictions in her choice before she is even born.

This also brings out the fact that the nokna is valued only for the sole reason of control of property.

Conclusion: The above discussion, thus, debunks the myth of matriliny - whereby it is believed that women enjoy a superior status. Today, the unique matrilineal culture of Meghalaya faces a grave threat as it is hemmed in from all sides by strong patriarchal societies. Ideas of patriarchy and patriliny have already made inroads into the psyche of the people. Although there are no immediate threats to the matrilineal system, such ideas are attractive to some males of the state who perceive that the system has been unfair to them. In recent years, gradual changes from matriliny to patriliny have been taking place at the individual family level. It will be interesting to study the impact of such changes on the status and role of women in these societies.

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Contributor: Swarna Jain B.A Philosophy(Hons)-III

In Conversation with Easterine Kire You are considered one of the first Naga writers to begin writing in English. You’ve said in an interview that you wanted to put indigenous works into the limelight, and so you began writing and translating.

Was it hard to find a publisher for your initial works?

What were the challenges faced by you in the process of setting up your own publishing house, Barkweaver Did I really say I wanted to ‘put indigenous works in the limelight’? Or was that what the interviewer was asking me? It sounds a bit arrogant, doesn’t it?

And I do apologise if it comes out like that. I have always I wanted to chronologically write down the historical life of the Nagas, and I believe I have been doing that all along. Oral Naga historians continually narrate history using wars as a timeline. It is a device that is also used by the older generation in Zimbabwe. They use wars or major events like the year of the installation of the railroad to tell time for instance. Mothers would say that a certain child was born in the year of the railroad, or the year after or the year before. Our forefathers also did this and would use historical events such as wars in the same manner. I have worked with oral historians, getting out information from them and writing them down as historical novels. Fortunately, Ura Academy published my first novel in English and the same book has now been bought

by Speaking Tiger and is retitled, ‘Sky is my Father.

Zubaan was looking to publish women writers from the Northeast and so it was not too long a wait before getting on the Zubaan list. Speaking Tiger has, in addition, been doing a good job of bringing out my books.

Barkweaver Publications is a project for we four who are in it. It was not difficult to set up, but we quickly realised that our objectives are dif.

ferent from the traditional publishing houses. So, we are publishing only select titles.

Often it is said that a lot is lost in translation— in reference to this, did you face any difficulties with regards to translation, given that you have translated around 200 poems into English?

Translation of folk poetry is not easy at all. I had to choose what kind of English to use in translating the folk poems which were so old that they were difficult for a casual Tenyidie (my mother tongue and the language in which the poems were written) user to get at the deep meanings that many of the words and phrases held. Many of these words are no longer used. So, their meaning was also more or less lost due to the fact that the context no longer existed. As it is, poetry itself is so complex that one always wonders if the translation does justice to the original. I think the translation becomes another literary experience altogether.

How and to what extent does politics inform your work?

We from the Northeast - we should fiercely resist being persistently defined by politics. For far too long, our region has been defined by its political troubles and this has created so many stereotypes that the media continues to perpetuate. It has dictated expectations upon Northeast writers and artists.

Politics should not be given more importance than all the other elements that we grow up with and get our influences from – religion, culture, history, and so on. We should not allow the political to be thrown like a dirty blanket over the many, beautifully layered cultures of the Northeastern states, because we would then be so grossly misrepresented.

When I write historical novels, political incidents take their place in the movement of the book – as part of our history. I have written a novel, Bitter Wormwood, which was an attempt to let others understand the beginnings of the Naga struggle for freedom in the 50s and 60s and the road it took by the 80s, 90s, and beyond. But besides that, I think it’s unhealthy to give too much importance to politics, just as there would be a lack of balance in our lives if we did the same to other elements like religion for example.I know there are people out there who insist that Northeast writers have to write more about the political situation political situations in our region.

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But I’m saying no, Politics is overwriting us, overwriting our very lives, we don’t need to give it more room than what it has already taken, and what’s more, we should take back territory it has occupied over the years!

How do you get the inspiration/ material for the lives that you depict through your poems and stories? Would you consider them personal? Have you taken any inspiration from your life experiences?

If I am writing biographical novels, I do a great deal of research, both into family histories as well as the history of the times. Research is so important in order to get good, authentic material. The life stories of real people are inspiring but the writer needs to work real hard behind the scenes. I use the help of an editor for historical verification and this is something I have tried recently, and it is an immense help. I retain my impressions of people that I meet – neighbours, acquaintances, friends and family, and use these in many books. There are also purely imaginary characters as well, such as the two sisters in When the River Sleeps who have supernatural powers at the tips of their fingers. I was very fortunate to grow up with a storytelling grandmother and mother who fed me with stories. Inspiration from life experiences? Certainly. I pick up a lot from both experiences I have undergone or seen others go through. Observing all that is going on around you gives a lot of material to work on.

You have chosen English as the medium for writing about the experiences of the Angami Nagas.

Don’t you think it’s counterproductive to write in the colonial master’s tongue? Isn’t that like surrendering to the power of the colonial masters?

I respectfully disagree. I write in an English that I have nativized to my own use. I don’t feel writing in the English language is a surrender. I don’t believe that English cannot adequately carry the cultural experiences I write about. My characters talk Naga English in the sense that their thought patterns are not English thought patterns, they think in an Angami manner and that comes out when they speak. It is what Raja Rao calls, ‘translating the reader.’ It is an act of bending the colonial language to serve your needs.

What other devices or methods have you employed in your novels and poems to assert your identity as an Angami tribal woman, in spite of this anxiety? Is it too far fetched to suppose that your inclusion of Angami words in your novel “Don’t run, My Love” can be considered to be an interspersion of your tribal identity and modernity?

See, the thing is, I don’t set out to write a novel asserting my identity as a Naga/Angami/Female etc. You don’t have to assert your identity. It is there, integrally there, like your DNA. In fact, it is your DNA. It comes out in a natural process as I write from my world view and as my characters live out their lives from their respective world-views.

Many Angami words are culturally untranslatable.

Their meanings are so beautiful in the original and the translations cannot do them justice; this is one reason why I let them appear in the original. And the English language is able to accommodate them all. So, yes to your last question that it is a natural process for me to include native words in my novels, as happens in Don’t Run My Love.

You have worked with a plethora of themes but the past of the Naga people and the period of insurgency seems a poignant theme in your novels, could you elaborate as to why your work revloves around these themes?

What you call ‘the period of insurgency’ is just one novel and a novella, Life on Hold. I’m not absorbed in the political. By the way, we would be wrong to refer to it as Insurgency, because the Naga groups were fighting for freedom before India became a nation.

On the other hand, the Naga past is fascinating. If you look for answers as to why we practise such and such a thing in our cultures, the answer is always in the past. So, you have to go there, using the help of stories and old people, and try to see the place that cultural teachings, and spirit beliefs occupied, and still occupy, in our psyche. It is also such a rich source of inspiration and I am not finished writing about it. The answer to why people believe in the spiritual and why they live with respect for the spirit world is found in the past and its teachings. I believe these teachings can add more value to our lives.

They promote respect and compassion for our fellow humans as well as for animals and plant life, not to mention the life of the spirit which is all around us.

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Food Recipes to Taste the Flavour of the Northeast Singju (Sīng-Jū)

Khaji (Khā-Jī)

Unlike misconceptions about salads being plain and not so delish, this salad from the Manipur is one of the most well-known dishes from the northeast, largely owing to its addicting spicy flavour and crunchy texture. It is so versatile that in different places, you may find different ingredients used to make the dish for its ability to accommodate various items without compromising with its taste

Native to Arunachal Pradesh, this dish, which uses rice as its main ingredient, may look familiar and perhaps even ordinary. But what make it so distinctive are the facts that they use red rice instead of white rice or brown rice that we’re more accustomed to, and a local ingredient called churpi or fermented black cheese.

INGREDIENTS: Red Rice – 2 cups Spring Onions – 6 stalks Dried Red Chillies – 15 or more (to taste) Churpi or Fermented Black Cheese - 2 pieces Onions – 1 cup Red Chilli Powder – 2 or 3 teaspoons Salt – to taste Pepper – to taste

INGREDIENTS: Vegetable oil-1 tablespoon Cabbage – 500g Chickpeas (with its leaves) – 100g Red chilli powder – 3 teaspoons Ngari or fermented dried fish - approx. 5 pieces Sesame seeds – 1½ teaspoon Salt – to taste Pepper – to taste Lotus roots (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Cook the red rice, in a similar fashion to how you would cook normal white rice.

2. Finely chop the onions and spring onions, and keep them aside separately in different bowls.

2. Make the red chilli chutney: • Put the dried red chillies into the mixer, and grind them.

• Add churpi or fermented black cheese into the mixer.

• Add the chopped onions.

• Add red chilli powder.

3. Take a bowl and combine the cooked red rice, chopped spring onions and the chutney. Sprinkle salt and pepper to your own liking, and mix well. You may garnish with extra spring onions.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Soak the chickpeas in water till they become slightly mushy.

2. Deep fry the chickpeas in vegetable oil, and keep aside.

3. Roast the ngari or fermented dried fish pieces, grind it with a teaspoon of water, and add red chilli powder to it. Stir well to get a paste-like texture.

4. Julienne the cabbage and keep them in a big bowl.

5. Now add the chickpeas, the ngari and chilli powder paste, and lotus roots (optional) to the bowl of cabbage. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir it all together so that every bite will be flavourful.

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Sawhchiar (Sōh’-Ch’-Ār)

Mosdeng Serma (Mōs-Deng Sēr-Ma)

This soupy dish from Mizoram is a refreshing and filling bowl of rice and protein, with variations in its ingredients from one locality to another. Nothing reminds a north-eastern more of home than rice porridge!

Tangy and spicy in taste, this tomato chutney, from Tripura is a delight to the taste buds. Easily pairable with most dishes (especially with those of the northeast), it is very much relished in other states as well.

INGREDIENTS: Rice – 500g Chicken – approx 250g Vegetable oil – 5 tablespoons Ginger – 50g Garlic – 100g Onions – 250g Coriander leaves Red Chilli Powder – approx. 3 teaspoons Lemon juice-1 teaspoon Ajinomoto -1/2 teaspoon Salt and Pepper-to taste

INGREDIENTS: Tomato - 2 units Onion - 2 units Garlic - 5 cloves Green Chillies - 5 pieces (adjust according to spice tolerance) Dry Red Chillies - 6 pieces (adjust according to spice tolerance) Sunflower Oil/ Vegetable Oil - 1 tablespoon Coriander (Dhania) Leaves - 2 tablespoons Sugar - 1 teaspoon (optional) Salt - to taste

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Soak the rice in water till it becomes soft, and then proceed to boil it.

2. Boil the chicken for while, and shred it into bitesize pieces.

3. Heat the pan and add vegetable oil to it. When the oil seems hot enough, add the shredded chicken to the pan and keep stirring. Keep it aside when it is well done.

4. In the same pan, add oil again. Slice the onions and add them to the heated oil in the pan. Stir-fry it properly, and make sure it doesn’t burn.

5. Take a bowl, and put in boiled rice along with the chicken and onions. Add pepper and salt according to your own taste to the meld. Mix all of the ingredients well.

6. Squeeze the lemon for its juice onto the bowl. Garnish it with coriander.

Contributors: Julie Donngaihlun-B.A(H) English(I) Lisa Kamduk-B.Sc(H) Maths (I) Esther Lalhunthari- B.Sc(H) Maths(I)

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Soak the dry red chillies in warm water for about 30 minutes. Crush them with a pestle and mortar afterwards.

2. Chop the tomatoes, onions and coriander, and keep aside.

3. Crush the garlic cloves and green chillies separately in a mortar with a pestle.

4. Heat the choice of oil on a frying pan.

5. Add the chopped onions into the pan and fry until light brown.

6. Put in the garlic paste, green chilli paste and the red chilli paste, and stir well. Let it cook for a while.

7. Adjust the heat to medium flame and saute the onions on the pan till they become translucent.

8. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well on low flame.

Cover the pan with a lid and let the concoction cook until it becomes mushy.

9. Sprinkle salt according to taste and stir well. You may add the recommended amount of sugar into the blend.

10.Add the chopped coriander leaves and lightly stir for a minute or so.

11. Serve it some coriander garnishing.

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Artwork inspired from Klew bad Ka Sngi, a folktale.

It is said that the Peacock and the Sun lived together in heaven as husband and wife. They loved

each other so much and they were so happy until one day..as the sun was busy giving light and warm to the earth, the peacock was strolling in the celestial garden.

By Deidaphi Khriam Seguin

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Understanding Resistance in the Northeast: A Panel Discussion The panel discussion was held against the backdrop of loud, insistent voices, both in the North East and in the mainland, over the discriminatory nature of the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act, or the CAA for short.

Anthony Debbarma: The CAB is not new to the Northeast. It has been a part of the citizenship narrative right from 1951.

Even in the 1970s, the Central Government often threatened the State Government and promised severe action unless illegal immigrants were kicked out. Circulars had been going around but no action as such was taken. Three commissions were formed to look into illegal immigration. Tripura is currently supersaturated and there is a dire need to protect the indigenous people. When the present Prime Minister was campaigning in Tripura, he promised to get the immigrants out, but the promised action turned out to be CAA, an incredibly discriminatory and blatantly problematic piece of legislature. The Home Minister, and by extension, the Central Government has failed to respect the demands of the North East, and a clear reflection of this blatant disregard for the welfare of the people is apparent in the CAA. There was a call for a strike throughout Tripura and the strike happened for three days, after which we met the home minister- who assured protection of the land, of the culture. No action succeeded the assurance. When the people went back to protest, on 8 January 2019, 5 students were shot

and killed, even as they held a peaceful protest. We were asked to wait, but however long we waited, we never got a response.

Bimol Akoijam: The Armed Forces Special Powers Acting (AFSPA) is a power that allows the killing of a person on suspicion. AFSPA reduces a human being to no more than a decision made by a person with some sovereign power. Section 4 of the AFSPA cancels Article 21 of the Constitution the Right to Life. It reduces you to no more than an animal, a creature with a life that can be killed by whomever and whenever without any consequences. AFSPA has been used to integrate and constitute India as a sovereign identity.

There are people who no longer identify with their state or with their spaces. It’s like looking at a family photo and not seeing yourself, he says, it’s like being invisible in your home. Illegal Immigration is a ‘Demographic Invasion’, a weakening of democracy. Illegal immigrants have overwhelmed the number of the indigenous they take away their jobs, their lives, their identities. Bangladesh is a country with a negative migration rate, the people going out of the country are more than the number coming in. Statistics say that in the next twenty years, no Hindus will be left in Bangladesh, and most of the Hindus are going to come to the North East.

Hence, the CAA is a deeply problemic piece of legislature, for it not only awards citizenship based on religion, but it also disregards the North East and their troubles.

Panelists Mr. Anthony Debbarma, Debbarma Secretary General of the Borok Peoples’ Human Rights Organization (BPHRO) Dr. Bimoi Akoijam Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University Dr. Prasenjit Biswas, Professor of Philosophy, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU)

People who don’t look the same, don’t speak the same, are automatically alienated. This fear is Pan Indian, and the North East is no exception. The Assam NRC exercise has been intensely problematic. Around 1.9 Million people were put under the scanne r to have their citizenship questioned. 40 lakhs of these were children. How is this not a blatant disregard for human rights?

Many a times, parents were doubted but their children were not, or children were suspected while their parents were regarded as Indian citizens. The process demanded that citizenship be verified by checking with a backhand copy taken by the government official, and this copy was often not there. And hence, legitimate cases were put under suspicion, families were torn apart and people were thrown into camps.

It all points to a dissolution of democracy

To conclude, The people in the Northeast do not oppose the CAA for religious intolerance as much as it does for the illegal migration issue. As we more towards a surDr. Prasenjit Biswas: India toveillance state, one filled with mistrust, we day is increasingly mistrustful. move towards the breakdown of democracy.

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A Day in the Life of the Eight : The North East in Pictures

Loktak Lake, Manipur Photo taken by Jason Singh Konthoujam

Sacred Groves, Meghalaya Photo taken by Elosa Chalai

Pelling, Sikkim Photo taken by ALex Prateek

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Khensa Village, Nagaland Photo taken by Suchamayang Kichu

Smit, Meghalaya Photo taken by Jason Singh Konthoujam

Shnongpdeng River, Meghalaya Photo taken by Naha Giri 25

Laitlum, Meghalaya Photo taken by Elosa Chalai

Kohima, Nagaland Photo taken by Chenti Longkumer

Thanlon, Manipur Photo taken by Jason Singh Konthoujam 26

Local Festivals of Northeast India Losoong Festival, Sikkim

Ngada Festival, Nagaland

Losooong Festival is considered one of the most important and vibrant festivals of Sikkim. The festival is celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil spirits who are potentially harmful to the peaceful existence of humans. It is considered a very important festival for the farmers who feel the need to rejoice and indulge in merrymaking after a tedious harvest season. The Losoong festival is spread over seven days, each day specifically earmarked for a special purpose. It is divided into Tshe Chi (1st day), Tshe Nyi (2nd day), Tshe Sum (3rd day), Tshe Zhi (4th day), Tshe Nga (5th day) and the 6th and 7th days are collectively called Nyempo Gu Zom or “black day”.

Normally, Losoong is preceded by the ‘Gutor’ ceremony, which is performed in the Gonpa(monastery) for warding off any obstacles and evil spirits and also for the overall prosperity of the people. All the households of the village gather at their respective Gonpas and attend this ceremony with their share of offerings. The Gutor ceremony usually starts from Nyer Druk (26th) day of the 10th lunar month and conclude in the noon of Namgang (30th) day of the month.

Some major Gonpas perform mask dances during the last two or three days signifying the act of subjugating evil spirits.

Finallyin the evening of Nyer Gu (29th) day of the month, the Effegies are ceremoniously carried off to the place where a Torkhim(a triangular shaped bamboo or wood framework cast upon three branches posts in order to summon evil spirits and then to burn them down, signifying complete exorcism) has been constructed. Afterwards, the Lamas (title given to a teacher) return to the Gonpa. But before entering, it is made sure that the containers used in carrying the Tormas(figures made mostly of flour and butter used in rituals) are purified, by placing them upside down on the ground before the main door of the Gonpa and suppressing them while chanting mantras. Thereafter, the Lamas recite Tashi Monlam or an auspicious prayer with ritual music, followed by strewing of rice in the air and herald their triumph by giving shouts of joy!

All the devotees return to their respective homes. When dusk sets in, they throw away an effigy made of dough of the family members as ransom, called Gu-Klued. After that, they cook a porridge called Gu-Thuk instead of the usual dinner. The porridge is prepared from the pieces of flour dough mixed with meat or kitsuk. It is customary for the mother or daughter-in-law to serve the porridge to each family member.

Ngada Festival is celebrated by the Rengma tribe, originating in Assam and Nagaland. The festival resembles a kind of thanksgiving which is clearly encapsulated in the Rengma culture. It is the belief of the Rengma people that the dead ones return to visit their homes and their families during this festival. It is also during this festival that the people offer respect at the graves of their loved ones. Unified as one, the people work together and celebrate the festival with grandeur and concord.

Traditional Rengma ceremonies, dance, singing and feasts ensue during the time span of the festival.People believe in curtailing animosity and vanquishing ill will. And hence, this festival is deemed as the ideal opportunity to initiate peaceful bidding.

The Ngada festival is an agricultural oriented celebration.

It marks an end to the harvest season of the year. The festival is overseen as a time for the people to rejoice, dance, sing, celebrate, feast and forgive. The celebrations last for seven to eight days, varying from place to place in Nagaland. It is celebrated annually and begins either in the month of November or December.

The first day of the festival is spent in the preparation of rice beer at every house hold. On the second day the Rengma Naga people tread into forest to pick and collect banana leaves. The third day is marked by women visiting the graves of the deceased and placing rice beer wrapped in banana leaves. The humble offerings made to the dead souls are considered symbolic. It is also on this consecutive day that they believe the dead visit their homes. The tasting of the rice beer is presided on by the eldest person of the house before the rest.

On this day men visit the graves of their dead relatives. Also, they gather outside their morungs (wooden house-like structures) and have a small feast. Later during the day, men strut around village donning their ceremonial and warrior fineries.

This day is carried out with the people visiting all houses in the village along with music and folk dance.

On the last and the eighth day, a huge feast is organized and the entire village comes together to celebrate. All people venture out to the forest to collect firewood, banana leaves and vegetables for the feast. It is believed that after the grand feast ends, the dead souls return to the land of dead. The festival is concluded with three rites: the first rite consolidates an agreement with fire in order to prevent fire accidents, the second rite amends relations with rats to avoid the destruction of crops, the third rite is marked by the expulsion of evil spirits.

Ngada Festival Photo by Akumjung Pongen 27

Nongkrem, Meghalaya

Bushu Dima, Assam

Nestled in the lofty Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, the Khasi tribe is one of the oldest tribes of the state.

This festival has many unique quirks of its own and is celebrated with great pomp and festivity. This experience will add another layer of depth to a tourist’s understanding of the diversity of a country like India. The celebration of the Nongkrem Dance is gendered, in the sense that men and women are expected to partake in the merrymaking in different ways. The men perform a dance, called in Khasi, as “Ka Shad Mastieh”, where men clad in dhotis, embroidered sleeveless coats and turbans dance joyously with a sword in their right hand and white yak hair whisks in their left. The sword has prime symbolic importance in the way masculinity is performed in the Khasi world, it stands for the protection of his family, clan and village. The dance itself projects and affirms the glory and pride of the village. Another dance, “Ka Shad Kynthei”, solely performed by young unmarried women is a big hit with the audience. Clad in the Khasi traditional attire and elaborate gold ornaments, they set out in the carefully prepared festival “stage”, field to perform the dance, which is replete with mythical and aesthetic significance.

Usually celebrated in November, though the dates or even months can vary according to the lunar year, Nongkrem lasts for about five days. It is celebrated to give gratitude to an all-powerful, omnipotent local Goddess called Ka Blei Synshar. Prayers and rites are performed to ask Her for a good harvest and to usher wealth and prosperity to the Khasi society. Arguably, the most important rite in the festival is the ritualistic sacrifice of goats on a specially designed altar. Called Pomblang in the Khasi language, it is done to appease their ancestors and is mandated to be performed by the Syiem (King) of the Khyrim with the high priest. Dressed in their best attires and wearing their most cheerful dispositions, the local people set out to enjoy the numerous delicacies, tribal handicrafts and vibrant performances in display.

In recent years, the festival has also witnessed a huge surge of tourism, both international and domestic owing to advances in technology and globalization. To quote Seth Godin, “What tribes are, is a very simple concept that goes back 50 million years. It’s about leading and connecting ideas and people. And it’s something that people have wanted forever”. This quote deepens and exemplifies the importance and significance of celebrations like Nongkrem to the consolidation of Khasi solidarity and brotherhood.

Bushu Dima is unanimously considered the grandest and most enjoyable festivals of the Dimasa tribe, which inhabits certain pockets of Assam and Nagaland. The festival is celebrated mainly during the last week of January and the beginning of February. It is celebrated annually after the harvest of crops is completed. It is also the time when the entire community gathers to indulge in festive celebrations together.

After a long and tedious planting and harvest season, Bushu Dima is a breath of fresh air for the Dimasa community. The Dimasas make it a point to remember their deity, Brai Sibrai Madai, thanking Him for a good harvest and making sure nothing bad happened to them. They do so by making various offerings, rituals and prayers to Sibrai. This aspect of reverence for the supernatural shows how deeply ingrained superstitions and the supernatural are in the Dimasa way of life.

A beautifully crafted gate called Phangsla is erected at the entrance of the villages. People offer meat, food products and locally made beer to the deity. Elaborate animistic religious rituals are performed with gusto. It is then followed by a large feast where intra-community solidarity is consolidated by everyone taking part in it. Beating of drums along with music and joyous dancing follow suit afterwards. It is not far-fetched to claim that this is one of the most popular festivals of Nagaland. It is also considered a perfect opportunity and time for farmers to take a break from their stressful and physically demanding toil in the fields and praise the deity Sibrai for a bountiful harvest.

The Bushu festival is divided into three main categories, Busu Jidap, Surem Baino and Hangseu Manaoba. Busu Jidap is celebrated for about three days. The first two days are called Mi-staiba and Busuma respectively. The first day is earmarked for the slaughter of animals to procure meat for the festival. The second day is earmarked youngsters to pay respect and reverence to their elders and parents. Young boys and girls visit each household in the village and entertain them with festive music and dances. This visit is also a way to get various contributions from every household for the preparation of another grand feast.

The celebration of Surem Baino for about five days, differs very little from Busu Jidap. It is taken care of by the Gajaibao, who is selected days before the celebration starts. Hangseu Manaoba, considered the most important of all the three categories, is celebrated for seven days. It is celebrated with the utmost pride and festivity. The details of the celebrations are managed by the youngsters.

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A Glimpse of Society Activities 2 0 1 9 2 0 2

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Unicolour

A cultral extravaganza providing a platform to showcase dance, music, attire and essence of the Northeast, Unicolour stands for inclusivity and pasrticipation. It is here that we come together from all parts of the country to celebrate the rich heritage of the Northeast.

Ao Skit, Nagaland

Attire Show

Maring War Dance, Manipur

Photos by The Photography Society, St. Stephens College 30

The North-East Lunch

An annual lunch introducing the cuisines of all eight states of Northeast India, it is one of the society’s most awaited events

Photos by The Photography Society, St. Stephens College 31

Echoes of the Eight

A collaboration between the North-East Society and the Music Society as celebration of cultre through music.

Photos by The Photography Society, St. Stephens College 32

A day in the Life of the Northeast

By Weinam Emika M Pyngrope

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EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 2019-2020

Repatemsu Jamir (President)

Alabanza Synkon (Cultral Secretary)

Temshimeren Longkumer (Cultral Coordinator)

Gary Haobam (Talks Coordinator)

Raman Mohora (Vice President)

Chentisangla Longkumer (General Secretary)

Chongten Pongener (Publicity Head)

Toreiloi Ronglo (Unicolour Head)

Sumiran Savant (Literary Head)

Longjhenthi Longkumer (Unicolour Coordinator)

Angeline Sangmuani (Treasurer)

Stephen J Hangsing (Finance-in-Charge)

Alex Gabriel Simon (Publicity Coordinator)

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TEAM ORCHID

Our COVID-19 team picture EDITORIAL TEAM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sumiran Savant B.Sc.(Hons) Mathematics-III

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ivanna A. Sangma B.Sc.(Hons) Physics-II

Mehr Gandhi (B.A. History (Hons.)-I) Julie Donngaihlun (B.A. English (Hons.)-I) Dimitri Mallik (B.A. English (Hons.)-I) Keona Johny (B.A. Programme-I) Imcharenla Longchar (B.A History (Hons.)-I) Akumjung I Pongen (B.A. Philosophy (Hons.)-I) Schulu Duo (B.A. Economics (Hons.)-I) Watisen D Aier (B.A. English (Hons.)-II) Swarna Jain (B.A. Philosophy (Hons.)-III)

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ORCHID Edition V

Published by the St. Stephen’s North-East Society