Catching the Vision of a Nation: Naga National Movement and Prevailing Confusion

“Pioneers of our Naga national movement caught the vision of a Naga nation, amidst conflicts and isolation from each other then, and responded to their national call.”

The Bible, among others, records the birth and rise of the nation of Israel, including the existential crisis it encountered several times. If there is one thing we can learn from the biblical history of Israel, it is this: the health of the nation is directly related to the call of the nation. It rises or falls depending on its loyalty to the call. It is extremely important for the people of Israel, therefore, to continually fix their eyes on their national vision in relation to which they were called out to be a nation. In its initial stage of kingdom building itself, this truth began to unfold. When situation calls for the people of Israel to choose between their then King Saul and the uncrowned leader David, the men of Issachar went on to choose David. They were described as “men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). These 200 chiefs discerned the need of the time and came forward to do the rightful thing at a crucial time by aligning their action with the vision of the nation. While many remained loyal to King Saul, they saw that God had already anointed the young David and acted accordingly. What happened thereafter in the history of Israel needs no retelling here. However, it is important to remind ourselves with such valuable lesson and act in ways that enable us to move forward as a people and as a nation because we believe in the same God of the Bible.

Do we have a vision of a nation that helps us to make correct choices in our national struggles, especially when faced with difficult dilemmas? What kind of nation do we aspire to be? Could it be that the lack (of awareness) of a common vision for a nation, in the present time, is the cause of confusion and division amongst our people? With so many Naga National Groups (NPGs), the Naga people in general seem to be hard pressed and confused. Nagas can boast of having countless organisations and several tribal groups in our land but it has become increasingly doubtful whether any tribe or organisation has really caught the vision of a Naga nation and accordingly aligning their actions with it. To make it worse, the actions of NPGs which continue to negate or exclude on another make it dubitable if we have been guided by the right vision of a nation, or whether something else is overriding our national interest.

It is clear that our society is fractured in so many ways. Collective actions have become a rare thing. In part, it reflects our inability to choose right leaders to lead us. To get back to the Issachar tribe, their 200 chiefs, who understood what they ought to do for their nation, commanded the loyalty of all their kinsmen as well. They could assess their current realities and also believed in the promises of God concerning their nation. Their tribesmen were ready to follow them (and indeed followed them) when they rallied behind David. This was made possible because the leaders have caught the vision of the nation and their tribesmen had faith in the leadership of their chiefs. What shall we say of our tribal leaders and other leaders of Naga organizations? Can we, for instance, boast of tribal leaders who have caught the vision of a Naga nation and tribesmen who trust their leaders? Why is meaningful collective action for our nation getting rarer by day?

Another stark lesson from the same story is that God did not require forced unity of the people to establish the kingdom for David. He did not even require majority of people to accomplish His plan. Only the house of Judah was with David initially and the other 11 tribes of Israel remained loyal to the house of King Saul. But gradually, those who began to understand God’s will for the nation, like the chiefs from the Issachar tribe, took a stand and made David their choice eventually. The story of the sons of Issachar is not just a historical reference but a prophetic mirror for our time. If we are to move forward as a people with a national aspiration, we must discern the call of our time and do what we ought to do for the nation. Without discernment and commitment, no nationalism can survive.

The fact that our Naga national movement birthed and is still alive is a miracle in itself. If we carefully and honestly look at our Naga history, we will realise that Naga nation is not really our own making. We did not choose to be where we are today by our own wisdom and strength alone. It is as though history, under the divine guidance of God, has conspired to awaken our nationhood which was lying asleep for centuries. Our eyes were opened through important historical events (including the arrival of Gospel in our land) to see who we are and what we can achieve as a people. Pioneers of our Naga national movement caught the vision of a Naga nation, amidst conflicts and isolation from each other then, and responded to their national call. Probably, they were not even the wisest and the ablest of the Nagas. With almost nothing but that vision, they however fought together against all odds with undeterred faith. In turn, they received the united supports, prayers and goodwill of the good old folks those days. We need to rekindle that kind of vision and commitment today if we truly love our Naga identity and desire to live as free people and nation. It is, perhaps, too much to expect the unity of all the Nagas as that was found wanting even amongst the “God-chosen” people of Israel just narrated above. However, for those who really love our Naga Dream, it is fitting that we take the path of the Issachar chiefs and their kinsmen even against the majority and the seeming impossibilities. Instead of arresting our vision with doubt and cynicism, we ought to do what we can in our own time with hope for the Miracle that has awakened us and sustained us thus far!

Zhopra Vero                                                                                                   

Kedahge, NNC/FGN